By Radarr Africa

Copyright radarr

New York, September 22, 2025 – Africa took major steps towards positioning itself at the centre of global innovation as new projects and initiatives were announced at the Unstoppable Africa 2025 business forum in New York. The event, which brought together CEOs, African heads of state, global investors and international institutions, focused on technology, infrastructure, finance, and sustainable growth.

One of the most significant announcements came from Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Global and Cassava Technologies. Masiyiwa revealed that plans are underway to establish Africa’s first network of artificial intelligence (AI) factories, powered by NVIDIA GPUs. The facilities are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. According to him, the project will drive homegrown innovation and accelerate Africa’s participation in the global AI economy, allowing local stakeholders to build AI solutions for some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.

Meta also made a major announcement, through its Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, Middle East and Turkey, Kojo Boakye. The tech giant expressed strong interest in investing in Africa’s growing digital ecosystem, underscoring confidence in the continent’s potential as a hub for technology and AI development.

The second day of the forum, which is the flagship event of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), showcased new commitments in infrastructure, advanced technologies, and financial services. Among the major highlights was the launch of the ‘Africa Savings for Growth’ initiative by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) in collaboration with African Pension and Social Security Institutions. The programme aims to channel Africa’s institutional savings—estimated at over $1.17 trillion—into long-term investments that support inclusive growth, moving funds away from short-term, low-yield instruments.

The forum also introduced two new GABI Action Pathways. The Digital Transformation Pathway focuses on expanding internet access, building digital infrastructure, upgrading government services, promoting responsible use of AI and data, training the workforce for future jobs, and supporting small businesses with technology and financing. The Healthcare Pathway seeks to improve access to medical services through digital tools, strengthen regional supply chains, attract new investments, and grow Africa’s healthcare workforce.

Beyond finance and technology, Unstoppable Africa 2025 also turned the spotlight on Africa’s creative industries, sports, and youth innovation. Discussions highlighted the continent’s growing influence in music, fashion, and film, alongside new opportunities in sports and entertainment.

The forum also recognised individuals who have been symbols of innovation and resilience. They included Hollywood filmmaker Ava DuVernay, 15-year-old climate and health activist Ellyanne Wanjiku Chlystun-Githae, Paralympic champion Mpumelelo Tevin Mhlongo, chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, and Nigerian singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage, who performed at the closing ceremony. Their contributions, organisers said, reflected the event’s theme of empowerment, innovation, and sustainable progress.

In her closing remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, stressed the importance of Africa owning its narrative. “When people say Africa is resilient, they’ve got a different definition to resilience than we have. Africa’s resilience is about how we build on what we have and how we strengthen our markets, our economies and our democracies. Unstoppable Africa is a space to remind ourselves that this is who we are, it is our narrative, on our terms that we go forth,” she said.

Unstoppable Africa remains the leading African business forum held outside the continent. Hosted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the 2025 edition was held ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Organisers said the platform is designed to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation and ensure the continent plays a leading role in shaping the markets of the future.