Hwange, Zimbabwe – As Africa accelerates toward deeper economic integration, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the continent will converge in Hwange, Zimbabwe, this March for the 2026 ELISA Business Summit, a Pan-African gathering aimed at turning the promise of cross-border trade into practical commercial action.
Organised by the Enterprise, Leaders & Innovators Society for Africa (ELISA), the summit will take place on Thursday, 19 March 2026 at Gwango Heritage Resort, on the edge of Hwange National Park. This year’s theme, Business Beyond Borders, reflects a growing urgency among African enterprises to move past policy discussions and toward execution-focused strategies for scaling across multiple markets.
The event comes at a critical moment for the continent. While the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has laid the groundwork for a unified African market, many businesses continue to struggle with fragmented regulations, limited access to capital, infrastructure gaps, and inconsistent operating environments across Africa’s 54 economies.
Rather than centring on high-level declarations, organisers said the 2026 summit is designed as a working platform where founders engage directly with investors, institutional partners, and ecosystem leaders to forge real partnerships, refine expansion strategies, and clarify pathways for operating across borders.
Set against the wilderness backdrop of one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic regions, the gathering intentionally blends strategic dialogue with immersive networking, offering participants both structured programming and informal spaces to build relationships.
“Africa should be further ahead. We all know it. We talk about it. Yet the question remains: why hasn’t the continent advanced at the pace of its potential demands?” said Elisabeth Valerio, co-founder of the ELISA Business Network.
“Africa does not lack brilliance or ambition. What we often lack are the forums that bring our ideas together, across industries, borders, and generations.”
Valerio added that ELISA was created to address this gap by convening entrepreneurs and leaders who are actively building companies, creating jobs, and navigating complex markets.
The summit programme reflects this practical orientation. Discussions will focus on real-world challenges facing African businesses, including navigating regulatory diversity, managing volatile global supply chains, adapting pricing models to local contexts, and building resilient enterprises in emerging markets.
A highlight of the day will be the Beyond Borders Live Pitch, a high-stakes session in which selected entrepreneurs present cross-border ventures to a panel of experienced investors and business leaders. Unlike traditional pitch competitions, participants receive direct, actionable feedback, with opportunities for catalytic capital and follow-on engagement.
Organisers say the format is intended to demystify investment processes while giving founders exposure to decision-makers who understand African markets.
The summit will conclude with the Enterprise Leaders Dinner, which will honour the 2026 cohort of ELISA Business Scholars, emerging founders recognised for innovation, leadership, and growth potential. The dinner also serves as a closed-door convening for investors, institutional partners, and senior operators committed to building a Pan-African business network.
With Africa increasingly viewed by global investors as one of the last major growth frontiers, ELISA believes the continent’s next phase of development must be led from within.
Participants are expected from across Southern, East, West, and Central Africa, alongside members of the African diaspora involved in investment and enterprise development.
ELISA operates under the International Centre for Professional Development (ICPD), a United States–based non-profit organisation.
How does one become a member and are there any fees associated with attending the Summit
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