Clearing a mutually beneficial pathway to unlock the U.S. - Africa opportunity

Whether it’s a family occasion, a sporting event, or a major business opportunity, there is no substitute for being there.

It’s a sentiment that perfectly describes why we’re at the 2025 U.S. – Africa Business Summit in Angola (June 23–25). And in many ways, it describes our ambitions for the African continent too. You really do have to be there.

As a long-term advocate for the continent’s prosperity, Standard Bank has been in Africa since 1862 and the U.S. since 1994. But today, the trade and investment opportunity between these two global powerhouses is greater than ever before – in fact, by virtue of its demographics and emerging market status, the African continent is the biggest consumer opportunity on the planet over the next 20 years; for every single consumer that the U.S. adds between now and 2030, Africa will add five.

On the ground and in the conversation

As Africa’s largest bank by assets with an on-the-ground presence in 20 countries, four international financial centres and two offshore hubs, Standard Bank has sent a high-level delegation drawn from both our Africa and New York operations to the Summit.

Our reason for ‘being there’ this week is to help unlock the immense potential for stronger ties and greater mutual benefit between the world’s biggest economy and Africa, a continent projected to reach a $16 trillion GDP by mid-century with a rapidly growing, youthful population.

It’s a big statement and it’s a big conversation and if you want to be part of it, you simply have to be present on the ground and connect with the companies who are shaping the economy. By being part of the conversation, Standard Bank – and other key stakeholders – can contribute to key policy and business dialogues and collectively accelerate trade, investment, and development across the continent.

The Summit is a major landmark in the calendar – hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), it convenes over 1,000 public and private sector leaders, including African Heads of State, U.S. and African ministers, business leaders, and multilateral organisations under the theme Pathways to Prosperity: A Shared Vision for U.S. – Africa Partnership.  

On a personal level, I’m delighted to contribute to roundtable discussions on trade and investment cooperation and other panels represented by Standard Bank colleagues bringing our unique perspectives and experiences to the audience.

But while the Summit is a key milestone on the journey, what I’m really focused on is our goal of creating a mutually beneficial pathways to truly unlock the U.S. – Africa opportunity.

A pathway built on partnership

Since 2021, the U.S. has helped close over $18 billion in two-way trade and investment deals across 47 African countries, with the U.S. private sector closing an additional $8.6 billion in investment deals. But this is just the start.

If we’re going to advocate for and encourage the involvement of U.S. companies in the African economies, we need to create the environment that is conducive for them to deliver – this means more collaboration, more access, more participation.

Along with other banks and financial institutions, we have a crucial role to play in helping U.S. companies navigate the complexities on the ground because Africa is a different and sometimes not well understood with very specific local nuances at play  – deep, local on-the-ground knowledge is key. Our job is to work with industry, policy makers, bankers, and other institutions to try and enable business for our clients – it’s all about the ease of doing business.

Alongside that, our role is to facilitate opportunities for local industry to partner with U.S. companies on these investments – in the majority of cases, having a local partner who understands the landscape is the key to success and we are here to bring commercial realism to these conversations and help clear the pathways to prosperity. There’s a clear role for government too, providing clarity, consistency, and predictability of regulation so that companies know where they stand and can plan and invest in the right way.

The African continent needs significant investment in the infrastructure space and the funding gap will need to be funded through global sources. Our role is to bridge this gap and connect the sources of funding particularly from the US to the funding needs we have in Africa, ensuring capital flows efficiently to high-impact projects.

Working together to deliver impact

From Day One, all stakeholders need to be clear on expectations – where we play and where we don’t, both by industry and by country. Once that is established, we then put the enablers in place to make the plan happen and, ultimately, implement it well.

But the reality is that no single organisation can achieve our objectives alone. In 2025, we need to collaborate like never before – if we work individually, we will have a single impact, but if we work collectively, we will have a multifold impact, whether you’re trying to create jobs, energy production or something else. We simply have to be clear on next steps if we’re going to unlock the opportunity in front of us.

Standard Bank has maintained a dedicated presence in the United States since 1994, when we opened our New York office to help connect African markets to global capital. Over the past three decades, the bank has played a central role in deepening U.S. – Africa financial ties, facilitating cross-border trade, advising on landmark infrastructure projects, and helping global investors access the continent’s growing opportunities.

This commitment to fostering truly collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships is the essence of the 'Shared Vision' we champion at this Summit, ensuring that the pathways to prosperity are open for all. Today, we have an opportunity like never before – let’s make sure we grab it with both hands.