African Bank has been announced as the official Platinum Partner of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa (GEC+Africa) 2026, strengthening support for Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Source: Edna Montse, African Bank group chief transformation and sustainability officer.
The congress returns to Cape Town mid-September and will run from Wednesday, 16 September 2026 to Thursday, 17 September 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), under the theme “Connecting Africa”.
The continent’s largest entrepreneurship gathering is expected to attract more than 2,000 delegates from over 43 African countries, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, corporates and ecosystem leaders to drive collaboration, investment and opportunities for growth.
Launched in 2017 during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Johannesburg by then-Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, GEC+Africa was established to advance entrepreneurship and strengthen collaboration across Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The initiative reached a major milestone with the inaugural GEC+Africa Congress in Cape Town in 2024, welcoming over 2,000 delegates from 71 countries, including 38 African nations, and featuring more than 220 speakers across multiple stages and sessions.
"GEC+Africa was created to connect the people, ideas, and opportunities shaping the future of entrepreneurship on the continent. As we prepare to welcome delegates from across Africa and beyond to Cape Town, partnerships with African Bank are critical in helping us create a platform that drives meaningful collaboration, investment, and growth for African entrepreneurs," says Carmen Rudd, Executive: Operations at 22 On Sloane and GEC+Africa Lead.
African Bank's support reinforces its commitment to entrepreneurship, enterprise development and economic inclusion, while creating opportunities for founders and small businesses to access networks, knowledge, and markets that can help them scale.
Driving economic growth
“We as African Bank are delighted to once again partner with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Africa for the GEC+Africa,” says Edna Sathekga- Montse, chief transformation and sustainability officer at African Bank.
“Entrepreneurs are the backbone of a thriving economy, driving wealth creation and economic development across the globe. We need Africa’s entrepreneurs to harness their audacity to believe, to collaborate, and to start pushing boundaries in terms of products, services, and solutions.
"Just as importantly, we need to support them in this endeavour. Successful entrepreneurs foster more prosperous communities. They create employment and more avenues for growth. Their success is intertwined with the prosperity of our people.
“Entrepreneurship therefore is not simply a business issue. It is our issue. The beauty of GEC+Africa is that it brings together the key players — entrepreneurs, the private sector, government, and industry — to innovate solutions that will benefit us all”.
The announcement comes as the Road to GEC+Africa continues its journey in South Africa after a successful series of Regional Bootcamp and Pitch Competitions across the continent.
To date, the programme has engaged entrepreneurs from Botswana, Uganda, Namibia, Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and Tanzania, identifying innovative businesses that will advance to the continental stage in Cape Town. The South African leg of the competitions will be kicking off in early August.
The regional bootcamp and pitch competition has showcased a wide range of solutions spanning finance, technology, agriculture, climate innovation, healthcare, manufacturing and digital services, highlighting both the diversity and potential of Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Delegates attending GEC+Africa 2026 will have access to keynote sessions, panel discussions, masterclasses, startup showcases, investor engagements, exhibitions and curated networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration and unlock new business opportunities across the continent.
Registrations for GEC+Africa 2026 are currently open, with entrepreneurs, investors,corporates and ecosystem stakeholders encouraged to secure their participation ahead of the September gathering.
