2025 Ibrahim Governance Weekend

This year’s IGW will open on Sunday, 1 June with the 2025 Leadership Ceremony, dedicated to highlighting today’s pressing challenges for leadership, both across Africa and globally.

This year’s ceremony will include a Royal Message from H.M. King Mohammed VI and interventions from Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Josep Borrell, former High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Union, and Dr Mo Ibrahim, Founder & Chair, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, among other high-level speakers.

Monday, 2 June will be fully dedicated to the 2025 Ibrahim Forum, which will focus on the theme Financing The Africa We Want. The Forum will feature a keynote address from Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization, and two In conversation with’s between Mo Ibrahim and Moussa Faki Mahamat, former Chairperson, African Union Commission and David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, respectively. There will also be four plenary sessions:

Session 1 – Delivering The Africa We Want: amplifying Africa’s priorities
Laying out Africa’s priorities – The Africa We Want – such as infrastructure development, regional integration, access to energy for all, digitalisation, universal healthcare and jobs for youth.

Session 2 – Africa’s resources and assets: maximising revenue from within
Exploring the ways and means available to maximise Africa’s domestic resources, from tax systems to sovereign wealth and pension funds to upgrading local value chains and monetising carbon and biodiversity credits.

Session 3 – Smarter money: making global finance work for Africa
Addressing the current shortcomings of the multilateral financial system and its expected reboot. Discussing pending issues such as debt restructuring, SDR reallocation mechanisms, innovative concessional and blended financial tools and risk guarantee mechanisms.

Session 4 – Africa’s investment pitch: attracting private capital
Uncovering the mismatch between high returns and limited private investment volume on the continent, outlining both the opportunities and hurdles to overcome – what works, what does not, and how to make Africa a more attractive and predictable investment destination.

Speakers across the four sessions include Amadou Hott, Official Candidate, Presidency of the African Development Bank, Arturo Franco, Director of the Group Strategy Office, World Bank, Lerato Dorothy Mataboge, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union, Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO, African Finance Corporation, Jaehoon Chang, President & CEO, Hyundai Motor Company and Aliko Dangote, Founder, President & CEO, Dangote Group, among others.

Several events and private meetings, organised by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s partners and friends will also take place during the IGW, with the majority being held on 3rd June. The full list of side events, including details of whether they are open or closed, can be found at the end of the programme.