
Africa’s economic reset requires moving from ambition to execution
The Africa Commerce Convergence Summit keynote address identified four elements that must converge if the continent is to achieve a meaningful economic reset.
CONFERENCES
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026
AMC’s upcoming Zambia conference in September is breaking new ground. Marketers are invited to join the launch event live online.
Marketers from across the African continent are invited to join the Official Launch Event for the 2026 African Marketing Confederation Conference being held on 23–25 September at Livingstone in Zambia.
A scene from the 2025 AMC Conference in Ghana
The live stream will unveil details of the journey to a new era of continental collaboration in marketing, supply chain and ICT. The launch event takes place on Monday, 16 March 2026 at 10am Central Africa Time (GMT+2).
While 2026 is the fifth iteration of the AMC Conference, this year marks the first time that three parallel Africa-wide conferences are taking place at a single location. The African Marketing Confederation is joining with the recently formed African Supply Chain Confederation (ASCON) and the Technology Information Confederation Africa (TICON Africa).
Coming together of the three confederations
Under the overarching theme of ‘Africa Rising: From Continental Strengths to Global Impact’, this coming together of the three confederations reflects how competitiveness is built through connected systems that must move forward together.
Marketing shapes how African products, services and destinations compete globally, and how demand is grown sustainably. Technology determines how quickly Africa builds digital capability, trusted infrastructure and future-ready skills. Supply chains decide whether trade integration, industrialisation and cross-border delivery work in practice as African markets deepen.
The AMC Conference, hosted by the Zambia Institute of Marketing (ZIM), will convene under the theme ‘Africa Rising … Through Marketing Leadership, Brand Power and Value Creation’.
To join the Official Launch Event on 16 March 2026 at 10am (Central Africa Time) and find out more about this landmark gathering, marketers are requested to register online beforehand. You can register here.

The Africa Commerce Convergence Summit keynote address identified four elements that must converge if the continent is to achieve a meaningful economic reset.

Vongani Mageza brings more than 20 years’ experience across financial services and FMCG) companies such as FNB and Diageo.

AI agents will influence shopping, algorithms will supersede social connections, and the clip economy will change how brands connect.

The brand partnership includes a new TV commercial featuring Kipchoge, digital storytelling, wellness initiatives and community programmes.

Modern retail in Africa is still dwarfed by the traditional trade. Marketers who dismiss this relationship-heavy retail model do so at their peril.

Research finds brands don’t just sell products. They can also provide employees with stories through which they feel their work is meaningful

Honesty must be demonstrated through transparency, accountability and action – shaping both reputation and future trust following a crisis.

In the funeral plan category, where most advertisements look like an obituary, Standard Lesotho Bank opted to ‘sell the cow’, not the policy.

Strategic Marketing for Africa, the publication for deep-thinking African marketing professionals, is not to be missed.

CEO of Scopen says the expansion into East Africa is a natural progression following the success of the research in South Africa.

Report says around 80% of Africa’s annual goods export potential to the Caribbean remains untapped.