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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, hosted the inaugural London-Africa Business Summit, bringing together more than 200 business leaders, investors and policy-makers from across Africa and the United Kingdom to strengthen trade and investment relations between the two regions.
The summit, held at City Hall in London, followed Khan’s landmark trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa in 2025, which was the first such mission undertaken by a London mayor.
The details of the summit were contained in a statement signed by Ndidiamaka Eze, the Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer and Communications Lead for Growth, Trade and Investment at the Nigeria Network.
Speaking at the event, Khan said London remains the preferred international destination for African businesses seeking global expansion and investment opportunities.
“I am proud to host City Hall’s first-ever London-Africa Business Summit, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs and businesses to showcase London as the best city in the world for African companies to expand internationally and attract investment,” he was quoted as saying.
According to the Mayor’s office, African businesses have invested more than £30 million in London through foreign direct investment since the trade mission last year.
The summit highlighted London’s position as a leading hub for African business, with 117 African organisations currently listed on the London Stock Exchange, more than on any other stock exchange globally.
The listed firms span sectors including telecommunications, finance, energy and technology, and include prominent companies such as Airtel Africa and Seplat Energy.
Participants at the summit included Ghana’s Minister of Trade for Agribusiness and Industry, representatives of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Ventures 54, London Africa Network and SOAS University of London.
The event came amid growing economic engagement between the UK and Africa.
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Officials disclosed that UK-Africa trade reached approximately £52 billion in 2025, while UK exports to African markets rose to nearly £26.2 billion.
Khan noted that Africa remains one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, driven by urbanisation, infrastructure development, population growth and expanding consumer markets.
The Mayor’s London Growth Plan aims to attract additional foreign direct investment to boost London’s economy by £107 billion by 2035 and support the creation of 150,000 jobs by 2028.
Officials also highlighted London’s strong ties with Nigeria, noting that the UK hosts an estimated 215,000 Nigerians, making it the second-largest Nigerian diaspora community globally after the United States.
Speaking at the summit, Mark Smithson described the forum as an important platform for fostering sustainable economic growth.
“The London-Africa Business Forum has brought together ambition, capital and creativity, reinforcing London’s role as a global gateway for African enterprise,” Smithson said.
Several African companies used the summit to announce or highlight their expansion into London.
South African investment firm Teybridge Capital disclosed that its London expansion is expected to inject about £8 million into the city’s economy and create more than 30 jobs.
In another development, Nigerian industrial giant Dangote Cement revealed plans for a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange as early as September 2026 while maintaining its primary listing on the Nigerian Exchange.
The summit also explored opportunities for increased collaboration in financial services, digital technology, education, healthcare, infrastructure, energy transition and the creative industries.
