2026 AMC Conference Recap

Africa Rising: From Continental Strengths to Global Impact through Marketing Leadership, Brand Power and Value Creation

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Three Days That Moved the Conversation Forward

Across keynote sessions, leadership exchanges, practical studios and informal conversations, delegates examined what it will take for African brands to compete with greater confidence, relevance and commercial influence.

140+

Delegates participated in industry-led conversations and working sessions

Countries represented from across Africa and beyond

34+

Speakers shared commercial, strategic and cultural perspectives

From 23 to 25 September 2026, Livingstone became a meeting point for the people shaping the future of African marketing.

They left with more than inspiration. They gained sharper ways to connect marketing with enterprise growth, protect trust in an AI-enabled economy, value cultural and intellectual assets, and translate local insight into regional and global opportunity.

The conference also created space for relationships that rarely develop within conventional programmes. Ideas continued between sessions, across industries and national borders, and through shared experiences in one of Africa’s most recognisable destinations.

What Delegates Took Back to Their Markets

The strongest outcomes of the 2026 AMC Conference were not confined to the stage. Delegates returned to their businesses, institutions and professional communities with practical challenges to address and clearer leadership priorities to advance.

The Evolution of the CMO

Marketing leaders must expand their mandates, transitioning from communicators to enterprise growth and wealth creators.

Value Over Visibility

The industry must shift from reporting on brand awareness to demonstrating tangible economic ROI on the balance sheet.

Culture as Commercial Capital

African heritage is not mere folklore; it is the strategic raw material required to secure global shelf space.

Context-Driven AI

Artificial intelligence deployed without deep local knowledge risks becoming “imported ignorance,” underscoring the need for ethical, context-aware governance.

Inside the Conversations That Shaped the Conference

Across three days, the programme unpacked the practical realities of a rising Africa. Discussions moved beyond standard metrics, highlighting that the modern Chief Marketing Officer must evolve into an enterprise growth leader. Delegates explored how artificial intelligence makes local knowledge more valuable, how the creator economy has bypassed traditional media, and why consumer trust must be treated as a measurable dividend.

DAY 1

Day 1 – Africa Rising in a Multipolar World

Day 1 set an ambitious commercial tone, establishing that marketing must serve as a primary engine for continental economic growth. Opening addresses by Dr Matongo Matamwandi and Dr Lucy Nyundo framed the summit’s directive, while Keynote Speaker Mamadou Bah challenged delegates to stop treating Africa as a passive emerging market and instead become demand architects.

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Eight professionals in formal attire pose together at an African Marketing Confederation event backdrop.

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“Africa’s next great brands will not be built by copying what already works, but by creating what truly matters to African consumers.”

— Mohamed Salah Ben Slamia, Founder of MUSE Agency

Attendees gained actionable clarity on removing localised infrastructure friction, supported by strategic insights from Shaduri Umutoniwase and Mohamed Salah Ben Slamia on converting cultural capital into global competitive advantage. During the Africa Rising Exchange immersion session, facilitated by Helen McIntee Carlisle, industry leaders including Agrippa Mugwagwa and Misikir Mulugeta provided evidence-based models for executing with local precision across complex pan-African markets.

DAY 2

Day 2 – Leadership, Trust and the AI-Enabled Economy

Day 2 confronted the digital economy, equipping delegates with strategies to govern data trust, leverage AfCFTA trade corridors, and demonstrate tangible ROI on corporate balance sheets. Following an opening address by Hermawan Kartajaya, Keynote Speaker Dr Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi and Kwabena Agyekum tackled ethical AI governance, setting the stage for Keynote Speaker Mwewa Besa to outline marketing’s role in driving continental market access.

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Six panelists sit on white chairs on a stage, with a green Welcome to the 2026 AMC Conference banner behind them.

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“Until African balance sheets can price intangibles—trademarks, creative rights, brand equity—we will keep financing the lowest-margin end of our own economies. Marketing builds the asset; finance must learn to value it.”

— Humphrey Chola, Lead: Strategic Communications at Agra

The focus then shifted to practical application during the Solutions Studio Live immersion session, where Terushka Heuvel and Tim Ekandjo demonstrated actionable methodologies for managing algorithmic reputation and proving economic impact. Rounding out the agenda, Humphrey Chola highlighted the commercial value of intangible assets before Special Feature Speaker Mpumelelo Zondi explored creator-driven discovery – proving that authentic local context remains the ultimate digital currency.

DAY 3

Day 3 – Africa Rising at the Global Marketing Table

The final day turned the lens toward global competitiveness, equipping attendees to build resilient, future-ready brand equity. Keynote Speaker Lorraine Mlenga delivered a compelling case for aligning sustainability and purpose with consumer trust, establishing that true brand transformation requires anticipating long-term continental needs.

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“Transformation begins when we look beyond the obvious—beyond what the market is today, beyond what customers are asking for today, and towards what they will need tomorrow.”

— Keynote Speaker Lorraine Mlenga, Strategy, Digital & Data Executive at Old Mutual

This strategic momentum carried directly into the closing plenary led by Keynote Speaker Euphrem Odilon Gbaguidi, alongside David Balikuddembe, Gillian Rusike, and Kwabena Agyekum. Together, delegates defined how African marketers must actively shape global commercial narratives in an AI-enabled era, setting the stage for Dr Matongo Matamwandi to officially deliver the continental leadership roadmap and declaration.

The Five-Point Livingstone Declaration

The 2026 AMC Conference culminated in a binding five-point mandate to secure Africa’s brand sovereignty and elevate the industry’s economic impact. This declaration shifts the confederation from passive observation to measurable, accountable action.

“We have signed here in black and white that what is in this document, we are willing to be held accountable for when we come to the next conference.”

— Dr Matongo Matamwandi, President of the African Marketing Confederation

Voice Before Volume

African brands must speak with a coordinated continental voice to build brand sovereignty and position the continent as a demand architect.

Trust as a Currency

Marketing leadership in the AI era must be grounded in transparency, consumer dignity, and ethical data practices.

Elevating the Craft

Raising marketing to a chartered profession across the continent through continuous development, ethical standards, and industry-academia partnerships.

Value for the Many

Ensuring youth, women, and small enterprises are actively resourced to shape and benefit from Africa’s growing brand economy.

Local Roots to Global Shelf Space

Converting Africa’s cultural heritage and creativity into global market access, brand power, and lasting economic value alongside the AfCFTA.

Celebrating Excellence at the 2026 AMC Awards Gala

The 2026 Awards Gala Evening on 24 September brought the second day to a fitting close, recognising individuals and organisations making meaningful contributions to Africa’s marketing ecosystem. Set against the backdrop of the Radisson Blu in Livingstone, the evening provided an opportunity for the AMC community to celebrate the people and campaigns helping shape Africa’s brand power.

The Voices Who Shaped Africa Rising

The 2026 AMC Conference brought together an exceptional group of marketing leaders, business executives, economists, academics, creators and professional body representatives from across Africa and beyond.

Keynote speakers Mamadou Bah, Dr Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, Odilon Gbaguidi, Michaëlla Rugwizangoga, Mwewa Besa, Lorraine Mlenga and Shaduri Umutoniwase were joined by senior voices from organisations including Old Mutual Malawi, Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire, Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda, AGRA, ABSA, Edelman Africa and leading national marketing associations.

Africa is one, but Africa is not one market.

Mamadou Bah

Founder of AfreekaPlay & VASCONEX, Côte d’Ivoire

As marketing leaders, we must raise our voices for the needs of the population, not only to take more money from them.

Euphrem Odilon Gbaguidi

CEO of Avis+

This diversity gave the conference its distinctive depth. Delegates heard from leaders responsible for shaping strategy within major African organisations, as well as practitioners building businesses, developing talent and representing the marketing profession across different markets. Together, they brought perspectives grounded in leadership, scholarship and lived experience from across the continent.

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Livingstone Gave the Conference Room to Think Bigger

A World-Class Host Venue: Avani Victoria Falls Resort

Located in Livingstone, Zambia, the Avani Victoria Falls Resort provided the primary setting for the 2026 AMC Conference, bringing delegates together in one of Africa’s most recognisable destinations. With optional river cruises, sunset walks, and networking extending to the nearby Radisson Blu, the venue provided an unparalleled environment for three days of professional engagement and continental collaboration.

Partners Behind the 2026 AMC Conference

The success of the 2026 AMC Conference was made possible through the organisations, partners and industry stakeholders that invested in the development of Africa’s marketing ecosystem.

Our Host Partner

Our Sponsors

Our Travel Partners

The Journey Continues

Following three days of discussion, collaboration and connection in Livingstone, the African Marketing Confederation now looks ahead to its next chapter.

Africa Is Rising. Be Part of the Next Chapter.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about the 2027 AMC Conference, its programme, speakers, immersion sessions, awards and future events.

What was the core theme of the 2026 AMC Conference?

The theme was Africa Rising: From Continental Strengths to Global Impact through Marketing Leadership, Brand Power and Value Creation.

Where did the event take place?

The conference was hosted at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone, Zambia, with select evening events at the Radisson Blu.

What is the Africa Commerce Convergence Summit (ACCS)?

The ACCS is a joint summit combining the conferences of the AMC, TICON Africa, and ASCON to foster cross-industry collaboration.

How can I stay updated for 2027?

You can register your interest for the 2027 AMC conference via our updates form above.