Singer Davido invited to Abidjan for the Africa CEO forum

Year after year, the Africa CEO forum establishes itself as a must-attend event for the continent’s private sector as the 2025 edition opens this Monday, May 12, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Over 2,500 CEOs and senior executives are expected to attend and no fewer than six heads of state have been announced.

This year’s Africa CEO Forum offers a highly political platform.

With the Ivorian presidential election less than six months away, the presence of the country’s head of state, Alassane Ouattara, at the opening of the ACF will be particularly closely scrutinized.

Ouattara, whose candidacy remains in doubt, has not spoken since January.

Three other heads of state are there to show their support for their candidate for the post of President of the African Development Bank (AfDB): South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Voting will take place at the end of May.

Ghana’s John Dramani Mahama has come as a neighbor, looking for investors to help his economy take off again, while Rwanda’s Paul Kagame is cultivating his supporters so as not to let the conflict between his country and the DRC isolate him.

All this in the presence of headliners such as Orange Group boss Christel Heydemann, as well as a more unexpected guest star: Nigerian singer Davido.