Africa’s rising economic power and ambitions for deeper trade integration took centre stage at the inaugural ICC World Chambers Federation Africa Summit, held recently in Nairobi, Kenya.
The summit was co-hosted by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and it brought together over 500 participants from more than 60 countries, signalling renewed global confidence in Africa’s economic trajectory.
The two-day summit, the first WCF event hosted on African soil in 20 years, was convened under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area to foster inclusive growth, innovation, and cross-border business collaboration.
Kenya’s President, Dr William Ruto, according to a statement, said, “Africa is becoming more connected, integrated and entrepreneurial. Our success will depend on how ready we are to embrace change. Chambers of commerce are indispensable because they bring smart solutions to business and help them navigate global complexity.”
Backed by over 130 chamber members and 20 national committees from the ICC’s global network, the summit positioned Africa as a frontier for investment, sustainability, and digital transformation.
It also strengthened the role of chambers as bridges between businesses and global opportunities.
Also, ICC Chair Philippe Varin said, “The International Chamber of Commerce is firmly committed to working with individual African countries and pan-African organisations to ensure the full potential of the continent is fully realised in line with the goals of Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint for sustainable development.”
Key highlights of the summit included two technical masterclasses aimed at equipping African chambers with practical tools to navigate emerging global trade dynamics.
On her part, Managing Director of the ICC Digital Standards Initiative, Pamela Mar, led a session on digital trade, addressing interoperability of standards, digital trust, and legal barriers. She stressed the urgency of reforming policy and legal frameworks to accelerate digital trade transformation across the continent.
In another session, ICC’s Head of Trade, Valerie Picard, unpacked the impact of recent US tariff changes on African exporters.
She emphasised the need for chambers to play a proactive role in helping businesses adapt to shifting trade policies and shape a responsive, forward-looking trade agenda.
As Africa positions itself as a unified trade bloc under AfCFTA, the ICC WCF Africa Summit 2025 marked a significant step forward, highlighting the continent’s readiness to lead in shaping the future of global commerce.
