As global climate negotiations intensify at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, African leaders and investors are gearing up for a crucial continental dialogue on financing climate action.
The fourth edition of the Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) is set to take place from 24–27 February 2026 at Cape Town’s Century City Conference Centre, with a renewed push to turn climate ambition into bankable investment.
Powered by lead partner Sanlam Investments and organised by the VUKA Group, AGES 2026 adopts the theme “From Ambition to Action: Scaling Investment in Africa’s Green and Blue Solutions.” The summit aims to mobilise capital towards Africa’s climate-resilient and low-carbon transition at a time when the world is under pressure to deliver concrete outcomes from COP30.
More than 580 delegates—including over 150 investors and 200 project developers—are expected to participate. Organisers project an investment pipeline worth an estimated USD 5 billion spanning renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, digital climate intelligence, adaptation technologies and emerging climate finance platforms.
“Africa stands at the frontier of both climate risk and innovation,” noted Emmanuelle Nicholls, Portfolio Director for the Green Economy at VUKA Group. “AGES exists to bridge that gap by connecting scalable, investment-ready projects with partners who can finance measurable impact.”
The 2026 programme mirrors COP30’s intensified focus on scaling climate and nature finance, advancing systemic reforms and strengthening country platforms that can convert national climate plans into viable, investable projects.
With global interest rising around nature credit mechanisms, AI-driven climate intelligence, and digital MRV (measurement, reporting and verification), the Summit will explore the new tools shaping investment flows.
Sessions will delve into Article 6 cooperation, nature and biodiversity finance, climate-resilient infrastructure, water and urban systems, industrial decarbonisation and the growing role of digitalisation in enhancing trust and transparency in climate investments.
A strong line-up of speakers includes Barbara Buchner of the Climate Policy Initiative, Catherine-Candice Koffman of the Green Climate Fund, Dorah Modise from South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission, Andrew Johnstone of Climate Fund Managers, biodiversity expert David Obura, and Matsi Modise of the World Climate Foundation.
A highlight of AGES 2026 will be the Investment Pitch and Showcase Programme, featuring 40 vetted projects ranging from USD 1 million early-stage concepts to large-scale ventures exceeding USD 100 million.
The portfolio covers renewable energy, battery storage, water resilience, electrified mobility, waste-to-value, circularity, climate-smart agriculture and broader adaptation technologies. Investors expected to attend include DFIs, venture capital firms, commercial banks and blended-finance platforms.
Participants will also embark on technical site visits across Cape Town, offering real-world demonstrations of how climate investments are driving jobs, competitiveness and long-term resilience.
AGES 2026 is backed by a broad coalition of partners, including the Global Green Growth Institute, Climate Policy Initiative, Convergence, Wesgro and the City of Cape Town, alongside regional policymakers and private-sector sustainability leaders.
With competition for climate finance accelerating globally, the Summit positions Africa to assert a clear and ambitious investment agenda.
With only five years left in the UN SDG decade of action, AGES 2026 aims to serve both as a milestone and a litmus test for the continent’s readiness to scale climate solutions from vision to implementation.