The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, on Thursday hosted the inaugural London-Africa Business Summit, bringing together more than 200 business and political leaders from across Africa and the United Kingdom to strengthen trade and investment partnerships.
Sadiq Khan
The summit, held at City Hall in London, is the first of its kind organised by the Mayor’s office and follows Khan’s trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa in 2025, the first such visit by a serving Mayor of London.
Participants at the summit included government officials, investors, entrepreneurs and representatives of major institutions from Africa and the UK, who explored opportunities for collaboration across sectors such as finance, technology, education, healthcare, energy, infrastructure and the creative economy.
Speaking at the event, Khan said London remained the preferred international destination for African businesses seeking to expand globally and attract investment.
“I am proud to host City Hall’s first-ever London-Africa Business Summit, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs and businesses to showcase London as the best city in the world for African companies to expand internationally and attract investment.
“With more African companies listed on the London Stock Exchange than any other exchange, Africa remains one of the most globally important growth regions,” he said.
The mayor noted that African businesses had invested more than £30 million in London through foreign direct investment since his trade mission to the continent last year.
According to him, the investments are helping to create jobs and strengthen economic links between London and African economies.
Data presented at the summit showed that 117 African organisations are currently listed on the London Stock Exchange, making it the leading international exchange for African companies.
The firms operate across key sectors, including telecommunications, financial services, energy and technology.
The summit also highlighted growing trade relations between the UK and Africa, with total trade estimated at about £52 billion in 2025 despite prevailing global economic uncertainties.
UK exports to Africa were reported to have reached nearly £26.2 billion during the period, reflecting increased demand for British goods and services across African markets.
Khan said London’s Growth Plan aims to attract greater foreign direct investment to boost the city’s economy by £107 billion by 2035 and support the creation of 150,000 jobs by 2028.
He described Africa as one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, driven by rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development, population growth and expanding consumer markets.
Also speaking, Mark Smithson, Country Director of the UK Department for Business and Trade in Nigeria and Anglo West Africa, said the summit provided a platform to deepen partnerships that promote sustainable economic growth and long-term prosperity.
“The London-Africa Business Forum has brought together ambition, capital and creativity, reinforcing London’s role as a global gateway for African enterprise.
“We are working closely with businesses and investors to unlock opportunities, create jobs and deliver tangible economic outcomes,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank UK, Mr Olukorede Adenowo, said stronger collaboration between Africa and the UK would help unlock investment opportunities and support sustainable growth.
“London remains a powerful gateway for African businesses seeking to scale internationally, while Africa offers compelling long-term investment potential,” Adenowo said.
Participants at the summit expressed optimism that enhanced cooperation between African economies and London would accelerate investment flows, support business expansion and strengthen economic ties between both regions.
