ABAN turns 10, sets Lagos agenda to scale local investment in startups

The Africa Business Angel Network (ABAN) will celebrate its 10th anniversary with the ABAN Annual Congress 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria, from 17 to 18 October, focusing on unlocking more African and diaspora capital for early-stage ventures.

The two-day meeting, themed “Accelerating Local Capital Participation,” will bring together early-stage investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, fund managers and ecosystem builders to align on strategies for a more self-sustaining investment landscape.

ABAN says it has mobilised over $35 million in early-stage investments over the past decade and grown a community of more than 5,000 business angel investors across 37 African countries and the diaspora.

Organisers said this year’s congress will reflect on that progress while charting “the next generation of Africa-led capital solutions.”

Core objectives include boosting local and diaspora participation in startup funding, promoting sector-focused investments in areas such as agritech, fintech, health-tech, climate resilience, AI, edtech, digital trade and the creative economy, advocating enabling policies for early-stage investors, and strengthening cross-border syndication.

Yemi Keri, President of ABAN

“As we mark this important milestone, we are reminded that Africa’s greatest resource is its people, and their willingness to invest in one another,” Yemi Keri, President of ABAN

“This Congress is a call to action for even greater collaboration among African and diaspora investors to fuel innovation and build resilient economies.

“We are focused on promoting sector-driven investments, particularly in agriculture, cleantech, digital trade, health, AI, education, smart cities, sports, and the creative economy, and advocating for policy execution that supports scalable and inclusive early-stage investing.”

Programming will feature high-level networking, thought-leadership panels, startup showcases and several strategic launches, including Catalytic Africa 2.0, the Africa Business Angel Investment Vehicle (ABAIV), and the ABAN Angel Investment Report 2025.

Sessions will explore cross-border syndication models, policy frameworks and thematic plays across climate-smart agriculture, cleantech, health, AI, education, digital trade, smart cities, sports and the creative economy.

Fadilah Tchoumba, CEO of ABAN

“Over the years, we have seen how local capital drives meaningful outcomes by supporting overlooked founders, enabling innovation, and strengthening Africa’s early-stage investment ecosystems, “Fadilah Tchoumba, CEO of ABAN.

“It is now time to build on that progress through smarter syndication, inclusive policy, and targeted investor education.

“This Congress brings those priorities into sharp focus, guided by four strategic pillars: Local Capital Participation and Growth, Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for Early Stage Investing, Thematic and Sector Focused Investment, and Access to Follow-on Funding.

“That is why we need to keep unlocking even more potential by scaling what works, through smarter syndication, inclusive policy, and investor education, and this Congress is where these ideas will come alive.”

Highlights also include curated roundtable “strategy labs,” live angel networks/funds/syndicate pitch sessions aimed at co-investment, and the ABAN Gala Awards Ceremony to honour contributors to Africa’s early-stage movement.

ABAN describes the congress as a catalytic platform to mobilise local capital, align pan-African strategies and activate the next wave of early-stage investors across Africa and the diaspora. It added: “Africa must fund Africa, and that future begins at the centre, not the sidelines.”

For partnership opportunities and general inquiries: secretariat@abanangels.org. For media inquiries, interview requests or images: Amimo Achillah, amimo@abanangels.org.