Africa has formally thrown open its doors to global capital as investors, policymakers and African leaders converged in Brooklyn, New York, on January 6, 2026, for a Business and Investment Roundtable hosted by the organisers of the 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa and the 100 Most Notable Africans Leadership and Business Summit.
The gathering was designed to reposition the continent at the centre of global capital flows and promote Africa as the world’s next major investment powerhouse.
The 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa Summit drew Wall Street executives, European diplomats, African entrepreneurs, and diaspora leaders into discussions on how to unlock Africa’s vast growth potential.
The gathering aimed to strengthen Africa’s investment partnerships with the global community, thereby accelerating development and prosperity across the continent.
At the core of the discussions was a push to move Africa away from the old narrative of aid dependence towards one of equal partnership and commercial engagement.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Abubakar Jidda, Nigeria’s Ambassador to New York, said the continent had reached a defining moment in global economic history and must now rise to its responsibilities.
Africa, he said, is no longer on the margins of global growth but is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s most attractive business frontiers, driven by its youthful population, expanding markets and abundant natural resources that are increasingly drawing the attention of international investors.
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Kingsley Amafibe, convener and Projects Director of 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa, said New York was deliberately chosen to place Africa’s economic story at the very heart of global finance and policymaking.
He described the United States as a critical strategic partner for Africa, capable of mobilising the capital, technology and market access needed to unlock the continent’s enormous potential.
“Direct foreign investment is no longer a one-way street of ‘aid’. It is a two-way highway of opportunity.
“By bringing Africa’s Peace Icons to the United States, we are telling American and European investors that Africa is not a risk to be managed, but a market to be entered.
“This summit is about creating a seamless link where Western capital meets African resilience, Amafibe said.
He said Africa’s rising importance in the global economy is being driven not only by its growing population and consumer markets, but also by its strategic role in the global energy transition and advanced technology industries.
The continent, he noted, holds critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements that are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and modern electronics.
Amafibe argued that processing these resources within Africa, rather than exporting them in raw form, would create millions of jobs, strengthen regional supply chains and provide ethically sourced materials for Western industries.
Such a shift, he added, would enable African economies to move up the global value chain while also supporting Europe and the United States in securing reliable and sustainable industrial inputs.
The gala night also attracted top executives, development experts, diplomats and African business leaders, reinforcing the message that Africa’s prosperity is increasingly intertwined with global economic stability.
Amafibe said the individuals honoured as “Peace Icons” are expected to serve as bridges between African innovation hubs and Western capital, helping to reduce investment risks, expand trade and open up new consumer markets.
He also said stronger investment ties would help address some of the root causes of irregular migration by creating opportunities and stability within Africa itself.
“Home is not just a place on a map,” Amafibe said, reflecting on the theme of the evening.
“It is a commitment to peace and prosperity. Tonight in Brooklyn, New York, we proved that when we unite the African diaspora with global partners, the possibilities are limitless, he added
Beyond the celebrations and awards, the organisers described the diaspora gathering as the launch pad for a wider, multi-continental economic transformation driven by peace, collaboration and shared prosperity. Several distinguished personalities received the Icon of Peace Africa award in recognition of their leadership, business achievements and social impact.
Among those in attendance were Daniel Wilson, Stella Ifeoma Okengwu, Asu Kunemofa, Paul Bolu, Mariama Fofanah, Dr. Nimi Briggs, Richard Iyasere, Paul Obasuyi, Chidi Reuben Achebe, Emmanuel Ajoku, Adetole Osinuga, Markanthony Akem, David Cross (Kwate), Oyesalewa Meadows, Bethram Okoli Gloria, Elvis Obanor, Daddy Rich Iyasere, Joseph Oche Udeh, Amos Tarfa, Nelson Aluya, Olayiwola Ojo, Anderson Obiagwu, Obi West Utchaychukwu, King Larry, Peace Essien, Fidelis Chibueze, Olatunde Badmus, Uwem Obiowo, Velentine Obi, Ademole Akinmade, Innocent Chinedu Offia, Ambassador Mariam Ashley Yusuf and Rosita Obumnaeke Amafibe, among others.
Organisers announced that the momentum from the New York roundtable will continue at the 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa General Assembly scheduled for June 19 to 21 in Marrakech, Morocco, where further investment commitments and policy dialogues are expected to shape the next phase of Africa’s global economic engagement.
