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Africa Business Media Innovators

The Africa Business Media Innovators 2025 is scheduled for May 11-13 in Livingstone, Zambia with media, business, government and technology leaders, civil society and academic from across Africa and around the world.

ABMI 2023 Presentations

ABMI 2023 Video Highlights

ABMI Day 1

Welcome

Growth in Africa

Generative AI

ABMI Day 2

Honorable Geordin Hill-Lewis

Outlook for Africa’s Economy

Reviewing Post-Covid Dynamics

ABMI Day 3

Art Activism

Financing Commercial and Non-commercial Media

Future of Work in the Newsroom

Previous Convenings

Across Africa, media owners and operators face common and extraordinary challenges locally and globally: an acceleration to digital, remote and online technologies, the increasing rise of global competitors, particularly social media, the loss of advertising revenue driving the need for new business models —coupled with dramatic changes in the structure of African and global economies.

With a focus on accelerating development of a globally competitive media and financial reporting industry and fostering more dynamic new media businesses in Africa, the annual convening — Africa Business Media Innovators is designed to assist media leaders to better understand, adapt to and address this unprecedented period in journalism and media in Africa, and globally.

969 leaders from media, business, technology, and government

65 countries

Highlights:

  • Launch of ABMI in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2015
  • Six in person convenings held in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Senegal, Cape Town
  • Over 1,000 leaders from Media, Business, Technology, Government and Civil Society attended
  • Honorable Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana addressed the audience in Accra in 2017
  • Senegal Minister of State, Honorable Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne addresses in the audience in 2019
  • ABMI was held virtually in 2020 with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank

Recent convenings have examined topics such as:

  • The Future of Media: How to Navigate a Constantly Shifting Global Industry
  • Generative AI: The Opportunities, Risks and Threats to Media and Accuracy in Journalism
  • How Technology is Transforming the Investment Landscape
  • Resourcing the Media: Approaches to Financing Commercial and Non-Commercial Journalism
  • Portraying Africa: The Power of Media and the Arts to Re-Shape the Global Narrative
  • Deciphering Africa’s Media Landscape: Reviewing Post-COVID Dynamics
  • The State of the Global Media
  • Global Competitiveness and its Impact on Legacy Publications
  • The Framework and Public Policy Environment for a Vibrant Media in Africa
  • The Future of Work in the Newsroom
  • Innovations Driving Digital Media + Entertainment

Invited guests include media executives, cross-industry CEOs, public policy makers, technology founders, business innovators, investors and civil society leaders from around the world. Conferences have been held in-person in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia and Senegal, and virtually during the pandemic in 2020 and 2022.

The Africa Business Media Innovators is hosted by Bloomberg Media, Bloomberg News Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Emeritus, Matthew Winker, and Corporate Philanthropy Regional Head, Africa and the Middle East, Erana Stennett.

H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, in conversation with Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, and Co-Founder of Bloomberg News, ABMI 2017, Ghana
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank, ABMI 2020 Innovator Chats, Virtual
Frank Aigbogun, CEO, BusinessDay Media Ltd., Dr. Edith Dankwa, CEO, Business and Financial Times, and Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, and Co-Founder of Bloomberg News, ABMI 2018, Zambia
Vusi Mahlasela, Guitarist and Singer-Songwriter, ABMI 2015, South Africa
Suzanna Owiyo, Songwriter-Performer, ABMI 2016, Kenya
Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, Former Minister of State and Secretary General, Senegal Presidency, ABMI 2019, Senegal
Erana Stennett, Corporate Philanthropy Regional Head, Africa and the Middle East, Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, ABMI 2018, Ghana
Sangu Delle, Chairman, Golden Palm Investments, Pali Lehohla, Former Statistician General, South Africa, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Former President, African Development Bank, and Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Bloomberg News, ABMI 2016, Kenya
Honorable Dora Siliya, Former Minister of Communication and Broadcasting, Government of Zambia, ABMI 2018, Aambia
Lena Sene, President and CEO, Developing Capital for Africa, and Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO, ARM-Harith Infrastructure Ltd, ABMI 2019, Senegal
Dr. Solomon Aseffa, Former Vice President, IBM Research, ABMI 2018, Ghana
Micheline Ntiru, Co-Founder, We Three Queens of Africa, Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Zeitz MOCAA , Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter, and Prof. Lesley Lokko OBE, Founder and Director, African Futures Institute, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, and Co-Founder of Bloomberg News, Raju Narisetti, Leader, Global Publishing, McKinsey & Company, and Harlan Mandel, CEO, Media Development Investment Fund, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Scott Havens, Former CEO, Bloomberg Media, Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO, Big Cabal, Styli Charalambous, CEO, Daily Maverick, and Mr. Wachira Waruru, Group Managing Director, Royal Media Services, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Erana Stennett, Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy Regional Lead Africa and the Middle East, Zain Verjee, Founder and CEO, Zain Verjee Group, and Dr. Brook Taye, Director General, Ethiopian Capital Market Authority, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Honorable Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, and Co-Founder of Bloomberg News, Tshepo Mahloele, Chairman, Arena Holdings, Co-Founder and Chairman, Harith General Partners, Chairman and Founder, Lebashe Investment Group, Leonard Stiegeler, Investor, LS and Founder, Pulse and LS, and Timothy Kotin, CEO and Co-Founder, Superfluid Labs, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Nishant Lalwani, Co-Founder and CEO, International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM), Maria Ressa, Nobel Laureate, Co-Founder and CEO, Rappler, Co-Chair, International Fund for Public Interest Media and Albie Sachs, South African Lawyer, Former Justice, Writer, Activist, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Lola Ogunnaike, Journalist and Writer, Yvonne Orji, Comedian, Actress, Writer, Producer and Author, and Danai Gurira, Award-Winning Actress, Playwright, Activist, Artistic Director of Almasi Collaborative Arts, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, ABMI 2023
Matthew Winkler, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, and Co-Founder of Bloomberg News, and Dr. Acha Leke, Senior Partner and Chairman, Africa, McKinsey & Company; Chairman, Governing Council, Zeitz MOCAA and Co-Founder, African Leadership Academy, ABMI 2023
Amogelang Mbatha, South Africa Bureau Chief, Bloomberg News, Nyimpini Mabunda, Chairman, Schindler Lifts South Africa, Dr. Brook Taye, Director General, Ethiopian Capital Market Authority, and Mr. Travis Adkins, President and CEO, US Africa Foundation, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Micheline Ntiru, Co-Founder, We Three Queens of Africa, Aguil Deng, Senior Program Manager, Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy Africa and the Middle East, and Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Spotify, ABMI 2023, South Africa
Jacqueline Simmons, Editorial Lead, EMEA, Bloomberg News, Zain Verjee, Founder and CEO, Zain Verjee Group, LaSharah Bunting, CEO and Executive Director, Online News Association, Andile Khumalo, CEO, KhumaloCo, and Licy DoCanto, Managing Director, North America Head of Market Engagement, APCO Worldwide, ABMI 2023, South Africa

I have no doubt that our country’s transition to a real democracy would not have happened the way it did were it not for the journalists, editors and media owners who were prepared to risk it all for the sake of telling the full truth.

Honorable Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town (ABMI 2023, South Africa)

Covid-19 has helped us accelerate the movement from the hard copy to the digital platform…we are so excited of the movement in terms of technology…the pace was very slow in Ghana, COVID-19 helped us to move to digital paid subscriptions.…

Dr. Edith Dankwa, Group Publisher, Business Times Africa Magazine, Energy Today Magazine and Business & Financial Times (Virtual ABMI Innovators Chat 2020)

It is the most dynamic I have seen the media business…as hard as this year has been, it has been one of the most dynamic, challenging in a good way, stimulating and innovative time for our business and media as a whole….we are living in an era of change….

Almar Latour, CEO, Dow Jones and Company (Virtual ABMI Conversations 2022)

This is the first time that we have had recognition from one of the major platforms that they have some obligation to support the creation of the high-quality journalism that is keeping a lot of the people on these platforms. I think that there might be an opportunity there for everybody.

James Bennet, Former Editorial Page Editor, the New York Times (ABMI 2019)

The pandemic has fast-tracked technological innovation, which will be a key driver of South Africa’s and the continent’s economic recovery. As Africans we have to begin to look into being able to the use the African Continental Free Trade Agreement to become innovative, to invest into developing our own technology and trade among ourselves.

Honorable Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister of Communications, South Africa (Virtual ABMI Innovators Chat 2020)

…data is becoming the most abundant natural resource…

Dr. Solomon Assefa VP, IBM Research - Africa & Emerging Markets Solutions (ABMI 2018, Zambia)

The time has come for us to harness the full potential of the media

H.E. President Akufo-Addo (ABMI 2017, Ghana)

If you only gauge the value of your work by traffic and readership, that’s not journalism. That’s just a content production outlet.

Yinka Adegoke, Former Africa Editor, Quartz (ABMI2016, Kenya)

A study by MIT has shown that lies spread six times faster than the truth, even more quickly if they are premised on fear and hate and sadly social media companies are putting their thumbs on the scale of the most divisive content….

Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa (ABMI 2023, South Africa)

Africa will build back faster by harnessing and better managing its natural resources, including minerals, metals, biodiversity, blue economy, forests, resources, agriculture or gas in order to boost domestic savings…More transparent governance must form a key component of financing Africa’s growth.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank (Virtual ABMI Innovators Chat 2020)

2015 Report

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2016 Report

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2017 Report

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2018 Report

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2019 Report

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2020 Report

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2023 Report

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