East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025 to Reposition EAC as Africa’s Trade and Investment Hub
Kampala, Uganda Thursday 7th August 2025 — The East African Business Council (EABC), in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), the East African Community (EAC), GIZ, East African Development Bank (EADB), ISUZU East Africa, RSM Eastern Africa and African Development Bank (AfDB) is pleased to announce the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which will be held from 16th–17th October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Hon. John Lual Akol Akol, EABC Chairperson stated that the aim of the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025 is to foster trade and investment ties and collectively shape the East Africa Economic Agenda.
Mr. Oskar Kamukama, EABC Governing Council Member stated that the theme for this year’s Summit is: “Promoting Private Sector-Driven Regional Integration for Increased Intra- and Extra-EAC Trade and Investment” with the tagline: “EAC Rising: From Reform to Results in a Thriving Pan-African Market.”
The EAC Deputy Secretary General, Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba, stated the EAC regional integration is propelling forward, statistics show that intra-EAC trade increased from USD 3.4 billion in 2024 to USD 5.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025. EAC trade with the rest of Africa also rose to USD 9.5 billion, up from USD 6.1 billion during the same period.
Mr. Francis Ogwang, EADB Country Manager for Uganda, stated “As the region’s development bank, EADB is pleased to partner in this event and reiterate our commitment to support development in manufacturing, agro-industrialization, mineral beneficiation, and services such as tourism and ICT across the bloc. We aim to leverage investment by mobilizing capital globally and deploying it within the EAC to drive true and meaningful socio-economic transformation across the region.”
As East Africa’s flagship platform for regional economic dialogue, the East African Business & Investment Summit convenes high-level policy decision-makers, captains of industry, investors, and development partners from the region, the African continent, and across the globe.
Mr. Adrian Raphael Naju, EABC Executive Director, said, the 2025 Summit comes at a pivotal time, with major continental and global developments shaping the business and policy landscape. These include:
- The continued operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
- The commencement of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) implementation
- Emerging global trends such as climate change, digital transformation (artificial intelligence) and global tariff escalations
The Summit will explore how East Africa can leverage these shifts to reposition the EAC as Africa’s premier trade and investment hub.
Driving Impact and Policy Change
Unlike traditional forums, this Summit is action-oriented. It will:
- Reflect on progress made on resolutions from the 2023 Summit held in Kampala
- Address barriers to intra- and extra-EAC trade and investment
- Unpack new business opportunities in a rapidly evolving regional and global context
The resolutions emerging from the Summit will be formally presented by the EABC Chairperson to the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, aiming to shape regional policy reforms that improve the business and investment climate.
Summit Features
The 2025 edition is expected to attract over 600 participants and will feature:
- Plenary sessions with leading thought leaders
- Sessions on Investing & Doing Business in the EAC
- An Expo showcasing transformative technologies, services, and products from the region and beyond
- High-Level CEOs Dialogues with Ministers on Trade in Services and Manufacturing
- Business-to-Business Networking Cocktail
Panel Discussions on:
- Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
- Open Skies: Advancing Air Transport Liberalization for a Borderless Africa
- Leveraging Regional and Continental Integration
Breakout Sessions on:
- Unlocking SME Growth
- Solutions to Combat Illicit Trade
B2B Matchmaking opportunities between East African firms and counterparts from Africa and the EU, in collaboration with the Pan African Chambers of Commerce, Afrika Verein, and the European Business Council for Africa.
Government and business leaders are invited to register and exhibit at: https://eabc-online.com/businesssummit2025
