By Chidinma Iroegbu
Organisers of the 2026 Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit (ACIS) have unveiled plans to unlock business opportunities within a combined $40 trillion market spanning Africa, the Caribbean and the wider Americas.
Aquarian Consult Ltd, promoters of the summit, said the initiative is designed to position businesses to tap into vast cross-regional trade and investment prospects that remain largely underexplored.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the firm’s Chief of Staff, Serumun Ubwa, announced that the summit will take place from March 23 to March 28, bringing together government officials, investors and corporate leaders.
She explained that the platform aims to stimulate cross-border investments, forge strategic partnerships and advance policy dialogue to deepen economic cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean.
Ubwa noted that the inaugural edition in 2025 facilitated bilateral engagements, agreements in agriculture and cultural exchange, as well as a $40 million deep-water port arrangement. The event also coincided with the launch of a direct flight linking Africa and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The 2026 programme will feature the Afri-Caribbean Agriculture and Food Security Summit from March 23 to 24, the Afri-Caribbean Health Summit on March 26, and core investment sessions scheduled for March 25 to March 28.
Ministerial roundtables are expected to address policy frameworks to improve food trade, expand market access and attract investment into priority sectors.
With more than 2,000 participants anticipated, the summit will host Business-to-Business and Business-to-Government meetings, alongside an Investor Deal Room focused on agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, tourism, digital technology and the creative economy.
Organisers noted that trade between Africa and the Caribbean currently accounts for less than one per cent of their total trade, underscoring the scale of untapped potential.