African philanthropy leaders called for greater investment in locally led organisations, stronger partnerships and more African control over funding decisions at the 2026 African Philanthropy Forum (APF) Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
Held from 25 to 27 October at the Norval Foundation under the theme “Bridge the Divide; Reimagine the Future”, the conference brought together philanthropists, business executives, funders, creatives and technology experts to discuss how Africa can mobilise more of its own resources to address social and economic challenges.
The discussions focused on a central question: how can African communities and organisations gain greater control over the funding intended to support their development? Delegates also explored opportunities to work with partners across the Global South and strengthen support for solutions developed by people closest to the problems they seek to address.
The conference opened on 25 October with a reception at Cape Point Vineyards. APF Executive Director Mosun Layode welcomed delegates and acknowledged members of the organisation’s board, including Chair Gbenga Oyebode, Wale Adeosun and Nyimpini Mabunda. Former board member Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa encouraged participants to look beyond the continent’s challenges and focus on its potential, urging them to turn discussions into practical partnerships.
The main programme began on 26 October, with calls for greater cooperation across African regions, languages and funding networks. Former South African Deputy President Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka addressed the importance of education as a fundamental right for every African child. She also highlighted the need to involve young people in decisions that affect their future.
In the opening keynote, Gary Lubner, founder of the This Day Foundation, spoke about his decision to give away 95 per cent of his wealth during his lifetime. He argued that giving can be more rewarding than preserving wealth for future generations and identified traditional attitudes towards inheritance as one of the barriers preventing greater philanthropy. He also stressed that generosity should not be measured by financial contributions alone, noting the value of giving time and effort.
The financial gap facing the continent was another major subject of discussion. Delegates heard that Africa requires approximately $1.3 trillion in financing each year, while philanthropic contributions account for an estimated $5 billion to $6 billion. Participants discussed how this relatively small pool of philanthropic funding could help attract much larger sources of capital, including pension funds and fixed-income investments, particularly towards businesses capable of creating employment.
An afternoon discussion moderated by Marlene Ogawa of Synergos brought together Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, South Africa CEO of Naspers, and Gareth Ackerman, Non-Executive Director at Pick n Pay. Their conversation focused on practical ways businesses and wealthy individuals can support African entrepreneurs. Suggestions included supporting women-owned businesses without taking equity, strengthening local distribution networks and making travel between African countries easier.
The discussion also highlighted a retraining programme that helped 7,200 of 8,000 university graduates move into technology jobs. The speakers argued that effective philanthropy should help people build the skills, opportunities and resources needed to support themselves rather than create long-term dependence on donations.
Questions of migration, identity and social inclusion also featured prominently. A panel moderated by Dr Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli of Wealth4Impact examined xenophobia and the challenges of building stronger relationships between African communities. Lungi Morrison of IFé Consulting and Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi of the Nelson Mandela Foundation argued that South Africa’s process of healing after apartheid remains incomplete.
The conversation extended beyond Africa during a plenary examining locally led solutions across the Global South. Moderated by Serah Malaba of Tiko, the session explored how African funders could learn from organisations and leaders working in other developing regions.
Panellists Amadou Mbodj of Fundación Avina and Divya Patel, CEO of the Ishk Tolaram Foundation, called for funders to combine resources, respect the approaches developed by local organisations and avoid imposing conditions that force partners to abandon their values. Mbodj warned that addressing issues such as water access, security and economic decline through separate funding efforts can limit the overall impact of development work.
Alongside the main discussions, the conference hosted Imagination Sessions covering family wealth, corporate giving and alternative funding models. Evening dinners organised in partnership with Skoll, the Imago Dei Fund and African collaborative networks provided further opportunities for participants to discuss potential partnerships.
The programme continued on 27 October with parallel Explore Sessions and a keynote address by APF Board Chair Gbenga Oyebode. Speaking about the future direction of African philanthropy, he placed education at the centre of long-term development.
He also challenged the assumption that population growth alone represents progress, questioning whether Africa can benefit from a growing population without sufficient employment opportunities. With international donor funding declining, Oyebode urged African countries to strengthen their own networks of entrepreneurs, investors and philanthropists.
“The wake-up call is not about doing things the same way; it is about learning that the world has changed around us,” he said.
The role of African storytelling and cultural influence also received considerable attention. Chude Jideonwo, founder of Joy, Inc., told delegates that Africa should be more confident in how it presents itself to the world. He argued that philanthropic organisations have sometimes reinforced negative narratives about the continent, even without intending to do so, and called for greater creative freedom for African storytellers.
Speaking during a plenary on narratives and soft power, moderated by Vimbai Masiyiwa of Batoka Africa, Jideonwo emphasised that storytelling should be part of the development process from the beginning rather than treated as an additional communications activity.
Author Julia Quinn, known for the Bridgerton book series and also a Goodwill Ambassador and Board Member of Landesa, spoke about the importance of women’s ownership and participation. Matthew Ilube, a trustee of the African Gifted Foundation, also encouraged decision-makers to consider the needs and ambitions of younger generations.
Technology was another important part of the programme. Discussions examined the relationship between artificial intelligence, education, gender justice, filmmaking, healthcare and climate action.
During a session on AI moderated by Nyimpini Mabunda, participants considered how the technology could improve funding processes, particularly due diligence. However, speakers cautioned against allowing automated systems to replace human judgement when deciding which organisations receive financial support.
Toyin Akinniyi of Luminate warned that using AI to determine funding decisions would not work. Janade du Plessis of Launch Africa Ventures encouraged philanthropists to invest in the infrastructure supporting technological development and to pay attention to the policies and regulations governing its use.
Mabunda acknowledged that the technology remains a developing field, cautioning against claims of complete expertise in an area that is still evolving.
The closing keynote focused on legacy, youth participation and the importance of giving emerging leaders opportunities to shape the future. The session brought together Nomfundo Ncuphuka, a Master’s of African Philanthropy candidate at Wits Business School and CAPSI, and Dr Judy Dlamini, founder and chairperson of the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship.
Dlamini challenged participants to consider whose voices are missing from important decision-making spaces. She called for greater access to first-loss capital for young entrepreneurs, allowing them to take risks and learn from business failures without being excluded from future opportunities.
She argued that funders should not make decisions about young people’s futures without involving them in the process.
The conference concluded with the launch of the Unmuted Campaign through APF’s StartPoint initiative. The campaign aims to raise $1 million to support African-led organisations working within their communities.
Launching the initiative, APF Board Member Swithin Munyantwali, co-founder of the International Law Institute African Centre for Legal Excellence, highlighted the importance of recognising and supporting organisations already working to create change at the local level.
The campaign will initially focus on Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. According to APF, the participating non-governmental organisations are African-led groups that have undergone training and vetting, with their credibility and work assessed by an independent advisory committee.
Through the initiative, APF hopes to connect more donors with organisations that have a direct understanding of the communities they serve. Contributions can be made through the campaign’s official website, unmuted.startpointafrica.org.
The conference ended with a renewed call for African philanthropy to move beyond discussions and direct more resources towards locally led organisations, emerging entrepreneurs and community-based solutions. Its message was that Africa’s development should involve not only attracting funding from outside the continent but also strengthening the capacity of Africans to finance, lead and shape their own priorities.
