Africa Business Leaders Coalition

CEO-led coalition committed to advancing sustainable growth, prosperity and development across the African continent.

Africa Business Leaders Coalition

Unlocking the Potential
of Africa Together

Africa is a youthful, resource rich, geographically vast, and politically diverse continent with expanding economies, robust private sectors, growing wealth, and improving governance and institutions.

Amidst all this potential, however, the continent continues to face challenges related to infrastructure, financial access, informality and global competition – all of which leads to economic inequality and poverty. The global pandemic and climate change have exacerbated these challenges.

The Opportunity

With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development deadline fast approaching, the Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 27) recently taking place in Africa, and the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, now is an opportune moment to create a collective blueprint that will transform Africa into a global powerhouse of the future.

To fulfill this vision, businesses in Africa must embrace responsible business practices and become stewards of sustainability. As we unlock this enormous opportunity, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have a vital role to play.

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The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC), a CEO-led coalition formed to amplify the collective voice of the African private sector, was established in May 2022 under the United Nations Global Compact. The ABLC has grown to 65 companies collectively representing USD 150 billion in revenues and nearly one million employees. Guided by the 2024-2025 Africa Strategy, ABLC members are committed to advancing sustainable growth, prosperity and development in Africa by bringing measurable impact to its most pressing issues.

The ABLC gathered the perspectives of African CEOs and Board Chairs on gender equality across the continent. These conversations lead to the African Business Leaders’ Gender Statement, which includes several inward and outward activities to foster gender equality in addition to a bold call to action.

The ABLC Gender Statement builds on the findings of a survey by the UN Global Compact and Boston Consulting Group of men and women across five major African economies (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa). The survey found there is a significant expectation-reality gap with many believing there was gender parity in spite of empirical evidence and men and women’s own experiences in Africa showing otherwise. The survey outlined steps private sector companies must take to drive forward gender equality in business.

Following COP 27, the coalition deepened its focus on climate action through tracking its climate statement commitments and policy advocacy. These efforts led to the development of the ABLC's first policy blueprint, From Vision to Action: A Policy Blueprint for Channelling $130 Trillion Private Capital into Africa's Sustainable Business Future. In partnership with the Center of Global Energy Policy Energy Opportunity Lab at Columbia SIPA, the ABLC launched its first policy blueprint at COP 28.

At COP 28 in Dubai, the ABLC also launched its Voluntary Climate Report that details the progress achieved by coalition members in alignment with the ABLC 2022 Climate Statement. It provides a transparent overview of the committed efforts and advancements made towards impactful climate action on the continent.

Climate change presents a $3 trillion investment opportunity in Africa by 2030. But this potential will not be realized unless the private sector is involved. This coalition has a critical role to play in ensuring the voice of Africa’s private sector is heard on the global stage to ensure the continent’s growth is not only sustainable but also green.”

- Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO, UN Global Compact

ABLC Roundtable Perspectives

A Path Forward: 5 Key Elements to Drive Climate Action in Africa

This publication is a compilation of roundtable perspectives on the five most pressing climate issues in Africa. It includes insights from over 50 leading CEOs and executives.

Elevating African Business Leaders’ Call for Global Collective Action

The private sector’s voice can influence the global conversation around climate action. Learn how African businesses can ensure local voices – and realities – are centered in these discussions.

Delivering on the Promise of a Just Transition in Africa

The private sector plays a critical role in a just transition to net-zero. Learn how businesses can prioritize initiatives and restructure business models to support a just transition.

Shifting the Focus to Adaptation and Resilience in Africa

Learn how African businesses can meaningfully engage in adaptation and resilience planning that benefits both the company and the broader community.

Financing Climate Action in Africa

Gain insights into the barriers to climate funding access in Africa — and the multi-sectoral actions that can be taken to overcome them.

Making Ambitious Climate Mitigation Action a Reality in Africa

Learn key perspectives and gain CEO insights on making low-carbon development a reality in Africa.

UNGC-BCG Corporate Africa Advancing Gender Equality report

This publication synthesizes findings of a survey by the UN Global Compact and Boston Consulting Group of men and women across five major African economies revealing a significant expectation-reality gap. This report highlights steps private sector companies must take to drive forward gender equality in business.

ABLC Newsletter Vol. 1- May 2024

We are pleased to share the first edition of the ABLC newsletter, providing a summary of the latest developments, initiatives, and achievements of the ABLC across the continent. This edition contains a recap of the ABLC presence at the Africa CEO forum in Kigali, Rwanda on 16-17 May. There, we launched our landmark Gender Statement, shared our new publication in collaboration with BCG on women’s economic inclusion, and held a multi-stakeholder discussion of climate financing.