Bridging capabilities, charting sustainable growth 

As the world’s most pressing challenges demand bold solutions, deepening collaboration between Africa and Singapore is set to shape the future of global trade and sustainability. This vision will take shape at the eighth edition of Africa Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) 2025, where over 700 leaders and innovators will come together to drive these partnerships. 

Organised by Singapore government agency, Enterprise Singapore, this biennial forum stands as the pre-eminent platform that forges economic ties between Africa’s dynamic markets and Singapore’s global hub of finance, connectivity and innovation. 

Happening between 26 and 28 August at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel in Singapore, ASBF 2025 will unfold over three days, weaving a rich tapestry of plenary sessions, workshops and, most importantly, business matching and networking opportunities to facilitate partnerships. C-suite executives, policymakers and entrepreneurs will discuss themes on energy transition and policies to drive sustainability efforts; the role of fintech and logistics in unlocking the consumer potential; and cutting-edge, technology-driven solutions that can contribute to rapid urban development across the continent’s burgeoning cities. 

Rahul Ghosh, Enterprise Singapore’s director for Middle East & Africa, says that “ASBF 2025 comes at a crucial time against the backdrop of an increasingly complex international trade environment and market fragmentation, in which market diversification is becoming an imperative for businesses.” 

“Enterprise Singapore hopes to drive more Africa-Singapore partnerships, in not just traditional sectors but emerging ones that did not exist in the African region a decade ago,” Ghosh adds. “For instance, the recent increase in Implementation Agreements signed between Singapore and African countries such as Rwanda, signifies greater interest to collaborate in emerging areas such as carbon markets. ASBF 2025 will serve as the platform to catalyse more economic discussions and collaborations.” 

Bridging trade and investment 

The African continent presents a promising location for Singapore businesses to expand into, given Africa’s young population, growing middle class and rapid urbanisation. Additionally, Africa’s ongoing implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) holds the promise to foster greater economic integration as the world’s largest free trade area, opening the continent’s potential for business. The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) predicts that intra-continental commerce will grow annually by 6.6% from 2025 to 2028.

Conversely, Singapore’s strategic location means that it serves as an ideal gateway to Asia’s vast consumer markets and supply chains. It is uniquely positioned to facilitate Africa’s integration into global trade networks. There are currently 1440 African companies in Singapore, with more showing interest in setting up an Asian hub in Singapore to leverage the stable business environment and plug into increasing south-south business collaborations. 

An example is TymeBank, a digital bank from South Africa. TymeBank is a pioneer in providing digital and cost-effective banking solutions. It started operations in Singapore in 2019. In 2021 it made a strategic decision to establish its regional headquarters in Singapore. Since then, TymeBank has also expanded its digital banking operations into the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The keynote dialogue, themed “Contributing to Africa’s Tomorrow,” will set the tone for such collaborations. Leading business leaders such as Viswanathan Shankar, CEO of Gateway Partners, will share opportunities in Africa’s business landscape, while public sector leaders such as Samaila Zubairu, president and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, will share opportunities from AfCFTA-driven regional integration. 

Powering a development-driven energy transition

Africa stands on the cusp of a green revolution, with developments ranging from sustainable agriculture in Ghana and wind projects in Kenya to waste-to-energy projects in South Africa and green hydrogen projects in Algeria. Such developments hold the promise of powering growth in Africa and beyond, while reducing carbon footprints. Unlocking this potential requires significant expertise, infrastructure and capital. 

The forum will explore how Singapore’s strengths in green finance, clean energy technologies and sustainable urban planning can complement Africa’s ambitions. Delegates will delve into the intricacies of sustainable financing, carbon-offset markets and circular economy models, examining how businesses can align profitability with planetary health. 

Industry leaders such as Frederick Teo, CEO of GenZero, a Singapore-based investment firm focusing on generating sustainable returns, will share perspectives on how carbon markets can bridge the funding gap for Africa’s sustainable development, drawing from his experience of building Climate Impact X, a global marketplace and exchange for carbon credits. Randhir Juddoo, managing director of CarbonCap, will share ground-level insights from implementing nature-based carbon projects across Africa, highlighting practical approaches to align community benefits with investor returns.

Meeting growing consumer needs through innovation and digitalisation 

There is much potential for collaboration between both economies, which are digitally driven. Some of Singapore’s approach for its digital policies and infrastructure, including regulatory sandboxes for pilots and trials, could offer a reference model for African policymakers. 

On the other hand, African innovators bring agility and creativity to the partnership. The continent’s startup ecosystem is a crucible of creativity, with fintech giants in Kenya, startup unicorns in Nigeria, and e-commerce innovators in South Africa rewriting economic narratives. 

Some of these tech and digital solutions form the backbone of unlocking consumer potential and meeting growing population needs in Africa. ASBF 2025 will therefore not only explore key trends in African consumer markets but also look into the role of fintech and mobile money, as well as solutions in transport, logistics and supply chain as enablers for commerce across the continent. 

The forum will also spotlight companies such as Singapore’s Ezra, a fintech firm using alternative data and non-conventional scoring algorithms to provide business-to-business (B2B) credits in emerging markets, exemplifying the potential for fintech solutions to bridge the credit gap and promote economic opportunity in Africa. 

ASBF 2025 – connecting Africa to Asia

Beyond the plenary sessions, delegates can deep-dive into specific dialogues, workshops and site visits hosted by ASBF’s partners. These cover a myriad of topics, including access to green financing, investing into Africa, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, and more. Business matching sessions, a hallmark of ASBF, will continue as Enterprise Singapore taps its networks to facilitate one-on-one meetings. Past forums have yielded partnerships across different sectors, and 2025 promises to build on this legacy. 

“For example, ASBF 2023 saw a manufacturing partnership between Singaporean industrial solutions provider NivéSal and Ghanian company Sky 40-40,” says Rahul Ghosh. “Two years on, this partnership has successfully materialised into a state-of-the-art polymer-based building materials factory in Takoradi, serving not only the Ghanaian market but also neighbouring regions. With discussions already underway for a second project, this collaboration exemplifies the long-term tangible outcomes of Singapore-Africa business partnerships fostered through ASBF.”

ASBF 2025 will play a role in driving Africa’s green economy and digital transformation through partnerships with Singapore, empowering communities and small businesses, and unlocking the continent’s renewable energy and tech potential.

By working together, Africa and Singapore can redefine progress, and leverage collaborations to overcome challenges.