Abeeb Lekan Sodiq rep TheAfricanDream Consultancy at APD 2026
Photo: Abeeb Lekan Sodiq (L) with Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, African Union’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (R), at the African Prosperity Dialogue (APD) 2026 / © TheAfricanDream
TheAfricanDream Consultancy’s Managing Editor, Abeeb Lekan Sodiq, represented the firm at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026 in Accra, Ghana. He joined over 7,000 delegates from 104 countries, including heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders from across the continent in shaping conversations around the call for a “borderless Africa.”
Held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), APD 2026 convened high-level delegations under the theme “Empowering SMEs, Women, and Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade.”
The three-day programme focused on advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), strengthening intra-African trade, and positioning women, youth, and small businesses as central drivers of the continent’s economic transformation.
On behalf of TheAfricanDream Consultancy, Abeeb engaged with a diverse network of leaders and institutions committed to unlocking opportunities within Africa’s single market. His presence reflected the consultancy’s role in conversations around economic development, policy engagement, and cross-border collaboration in Africa.
Day One of the dialogues centred on the Women Prosperity Dialogue, which highlighted the contributions of women entrepreneurs, financiers, and policymakers to Africa’s trade and development agenda.
Discussions examined access to finance, export readiness, leadership, and the removal of barriers limiting women’s participation in regional and continental markets. Cultural showcases and policy sessions underscored the importance of inclusive growth as a foundation for Africa’s prosperity.
Day Two focused on the SME Scale-Up Dialogue, where business leaders, innovators, and policymakers explored financing, digital trade, and cross-border value chains as essential tools for strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises.
High-level presence at the event included a keynote address by Ghanaian Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, the African Union’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS) department. Abeeb met with the ambassador at the Dialogues, emphasising her genial personality.
“One of my biggest highlights at the African Prosperity Dialogue 2026 representing @The4fricanDream was my engagement with Ambassador @amma_twumamoah, African Union’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. She’s unbelievably humble,” said Abeeb in a statement on X.
Abeeb also met with Zeferino Cariço André Pintinho, the 1st Secretary of the Embassy of Angola in Ghana. Pintinho was an escort to H.E. Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço, the First Lady of Angola, who delivered a speech as a special guest at the Dialogues. H.E. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Vice-President of Ghana, gave a presidential opening speech on behalf of Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama.
The sessions reinforced the role of SMEs as the backbone of African economies and key drivers of employment, innovation, and industrialisation. Youth engagement and the digital and creative economy also featured prominently, emphasising the growing influence of Africa’s young population in shaping future markets.
The final day featured the Presidential and Business Leaders’ Dialogue, bringing together heads of state, ministers, and top executives to align policy direction with business priorities and investment opportunities.
Invited political leaders and representatives took the stage to address delegates, including Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Leader of Parliament in Ghana; H.E. Badanam Patoki, Minister of Economy and Strategic Monitoring of Togo; and H.E. Alexandre Barro Chambrier, Vice President of Gabon.
A highlight of the day was the launch of the “Make Africa Borderless Now” movement, an initiative that blended cultural expression with policy advocacy.
The segment featured a spoken word performance by Princess Fathia Nkrumah, a holographic tribute to Kwame Nkrumah, a keynote address by P.L.O. Lumumba, and a documentary outlining twelve pillars of the borderless Africa vision.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Founder and Executive Chairman of APN, reinforced the movement’s call for continental integration. Followed up by a call to action from H.E. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the APN Advisory Council and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
She presented a draft compact designed to strengthen commitments to trade integration, mobility, and economic collaboration across the continent.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues, organised by the Africa Prosperity Network, serve as a platform to drive concrete initiatives that accelerate intra-African trade, promote industrialisation, and foster stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector.
The 2026 edition placed particular emphasis on translating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) from policy into action, with a focus on financing, innovation, cross-border trade, and inclusive participation across the continent’s economy.
“APD 2026 reinforced the urgent need for Africa to move from conversation to implementation. Being part of this gathering in Accra, alongside thousands of leaders, innovators, and policymakers, highlights the collective responsibility we share in driving intra-African trade, empowering SMEs, and unlocking opportunities for young people across the continent,” said Abeeb in a post-event statement to the TheAfricanDream.net.
Abeeb is the Managing Editor of TheAfricanDream.net, a news website subsidiary of TheAfricanDream Consultancy (which is a communication and information research entity on Africa Affairs based in the Washington DC metro area, United States). He is also a Non-profit Consultant for GivingTheAfricanDream, the non-profit wing of the firm.
“At TheAfricanDream Consultancy, we remain committed to telling the stories, shaping the narratives, and supporting the ideas that will power a truly borderless and prosperous Africa,” he added.
Written by Oral Ofori
Abeeb Lekan Sodiq is the Managing Editor of theafricandream.net, a pan-African news website subsidiary of US-based TheAfricanDream LLC. He is also a Human Resource Practitioner, and a freelance Graphics Designer. He has worked with prominent personalities, including ambassadors, secretariats, international organisations, universities, celebrities, NGO, and media firms.
