Duke Africa Conference 2026
Thought leaders, practitioners, writers, and innovators from across Africa and the global diaspora.
Helon Habila
Author & Novelist
Narrative Power Panel
ConfirmedAdebayo Adeleke
Panelist
Unity & Multipolar World
ConfirmedElizabeth Oguegbu
Group Head, Financial Markets & Funding
Access Bank · Educating for Capital
ConfirmedTiti Cole
Senior Executive
Borderless Ambition
Confirmed · ZoomWally Adeyemo
Group Head, Strategy & Transformation
Barclays / Former U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary · Keynote
Invite PendingWamkele Mene
Secretary-General
African Continental Free Trade Area · Keynote
Invite PendingFelwine Sarr
Philosopher & Author
Duke University · Keynote
Invite PendingZainab Usman
Senior Associate
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · Keynote
Invite PendingYele Aluko
Panelist
Educating for Capital
Invite PendingProgramme
Each panel follows a two-part format: a paper presentation followed by an open panel discussion with invited speakers and audience participation.
Panel 01
This keynote sets the tone by addressing how African and diaspora leaders are navigating global disruption — from political fragmentation and DEI backlash to innovation, trade, and identity.
Format: Keynote address followed by open Q&A.
→ What does it mean to lead in a fractured world?
→ How can Africa shape a more inclusive global order?
→ What is the opportunity in disruption?
Panel 02
AfCFTA as a symbol of unity, diaspora collaboration, ubuntu economies, and bridging divides across the continent and diaspora.
Format: Paper presentation followed by panel discussion.
→ What is the cost of fragmentation for Africans globally?
→ Can the AfCFTA succeed in an era of inward-looking governance?
→ What shared identity holds Africans together in times of disruption?
Panel 03
How education acts as patient capital. Examining diaspora capital, global networks, and talent pipelines shaping investment pathways across Africa.
Format: Paper presentation followed by panel discussion.
→ How should we think about education as long-term investment rather than a social expense?
→ What role does the diaspora play in de-risking education investment?
→ How can capital markets better reward investments in people?
Panel 04
Media, tech platforms, creators, and diasporic voices reshaping the continent’s narrative in a contested information landscape.
Format: Paper presentation followed by panel discussion.
→ What happens when African stories are told by Africans at scale?
→ How are global platforms amplifying or flattening local nuance?
→ Can storytelling shift power — economically, politically, or culturally?