In what may be regarded as one of the most potent conversations, around enabling inclusion, progress and prosperity for the African woman, Alice Nkulikiyinka, Director, I&M Bank, Rwanda, recently joined Gina Din, Founder, Gina Din Group, Nathalie Munyampenda, CEO, Kepler and Mary Edoro, Head of Content, BellaNaija Style, to discuss how Africa's evolving narrative can include a new representation of it's women. The Africa Soft Power Summit had just returned to real life settings with an impactful 3-day session in the beautiful city of Kigali. 

“The pathway for inclusion, opportunities and leadership being created for Women in Africa is changing. We are seeing more women demonstrate competence, resilience and confidence in leadership and we look forward to even more." Nkulikiyinka said, during the second day of the event. 

On the opening day, Nana Baffour, Chairman & CEO Quintess Brazil, had told the audience that Africa, as the world's largest youth population, has the potential to leverage creativity and innovation, towards building large scale human capacity, in a technology driven global market economy. Being a fashion expert and enthusiast, Baffour also doubles as CEO,NVH Studios, owners of premier Brazilian luxury shoe brand Zeferino. Zeferino and BellaNaija Style would later join Africa Soft Power to host top African fashion experts including Moses Turahirwa of Moshions and Tola Adegbite of TURFAH, to a fashion session and glam cocktail, with excited guests, made up of industry leaders across the creative, sports, technology, payments and financing sectors. 

In another panel, an enthralled audience cheered as Mattew Ryder QC, of Matrix Chambers and Former Deputy Mayor of London, reminded two-time NBA all-star Luol Ajou Deng, about his bold display of the African map on his shirt for an all star game, against NBA uniform regulations. Undoubtedly, Luol is one of the most talented players to ever come out of the UK. For a man who has always said that Africa was his inspiration, his action and story continue to inspire a great crowd of African youths across diverse disciplines, to be proud of their identity, wherever life takes them. 

An array of Industry Leaders Committed to the Advancement of Africa 

The sights at the Africa Soft Power 2022 summit, were as varied as the impactful sessions brought to life by a star cast of discussants, drawn from several industries across the continent. A glam cocktail with a shoe show by Zeferino, music performance by Rapper, Jude M.I. Abaga, a book signing by Gina Din and a session on the Power of Art, held in partnership with ARTSPLIT, alongside networking activities, may have been standout moments for this year’s summit. However, founder and creative director for the Africa Soft Power Summit, Nkiru Balonwu, says the event carries greater essence. “We are determined to build structures, talents and institutions that are long-lasting and survive us,” Balonwu said. 

“Across music, sports, fashion, art, innovation and digital capabilities, the Africa Soft Power Project is committed to enabling progress for Africa and Africans, we are leveraging soft power to create respected African thought-leaders, unite the global black community and ultimately chart a sustainable course around how we can propel ourselves and the continent forward” Balonwu added. 

Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA),Wamkele Mene; President of the Basketball Africa League, Amadou Gallo Fall; Founder, Gina Din Group, Gina Din; Former Deputy Mayor of London and QC, Matrix Chambers, Matthew Ryder; Director of Daily Content, The International Olympic Committee, Benny Bonsu; Cofounder and CEO, Enda Athletic,Inc, Navalayo Osembo; Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, Ngaire Blankenberg; CEO, NBA Africa, Victor Williams; CEO, Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), Mike Ogbalu III and Regional Director, East Africa, IFC, Jumoke Jagun-Dokunmu; Rapper and CEO, TASCK Agency, Jude Abaga and Global Head and Director, Advisory and Capital Markets, Afreximbank, Ibrahim Sagna, were among the array of industry leaders that lined up for this year’s Africa Soft Power Summit. 

Hosted by The Africa Soft Power Project (ASP) from May 26th – 28th, the summit which was held at the prestigious Kigali Serena Hotel, featured sessions on sports, music, fashion, financing/digital infrastructure, tourism/trade and payments, with discussants highlighting how to leverage Africa’s digital, creative and knowledge economies to benefit the continent, the global diaspora community, and beyond. 

Leveraging Soft Power and Intra-African trade for Progress, Along the Road to Recovery 

At a time when the rest of the world appears to be on the road to fast recovery, post COVID-19, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), expressed that concrete steps were needed to ensure that Africa's recovery is remarkable and sustainable.

In his keynote Address, Mene disclosed that during the pandemic, 30 million jobs were lost, and 26 million Africans were pushed back into extreme poverty, a technical recession which has not happened in almost a generation.

“The recovery tool that Africa has at its disposal is the AfCTA, since many countries in Africa do not have the monetary policy and fiscal policy space to provide large bailouts in the trillions of dollars for economic recovery. The implementation of the AfCTA agreement, increased intra African trade is what will drive economic development for Africa post COVID-19” said Mene

With over three decades of experience working in design and consultancy for museums around the world, Ngaire Blakenberg, Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, believes that art, like music and sports, carries the capacity and potential to change Africa's narrative on the global scale in the most positive direction, helping to build bridges with wider communities around the world. 

Like Blakenberg, Ibrahim Sagna, Head & Director, Advisory & Capital Markets, Afreximbank agrees that Africa's strength does not lie in raw materials but in human capital. ”Our creativity is what is getting us recognized in various parts of the globe and we have a duty to catalyze the creative industry to the fullest. Also, as a continent, the point of improving education is something we should be focused on, to get the best out of our creativity. If we do not make this a priority at the leadership level, there will be a gap”.

May is Africa Month, let's make it sustainable 

The magic of what makes the Africa Soft Power Summit, a must-attend annual event that attracts music artistes, record label bosses, sports administrators, technology executives and other industry leaders is remarkable. And so phones were busy taking pictures and recording videos for quick uploads on social media, when Founder and Creative Director of the Africa Soft Power Project, Nkiru Balonwu, announced May as Africa month, going forward. 

With stakeholders at the event collectively throwing their weight behind the announcement, Balonwu disclosed that ASP will continue to promote May as ‘Africa month’, as part of efforts towards propelling Africa forward, leveraging the continent’s creative, knowledge, cultural and digital industries. 

Elsewhere in Davos, Switzerland, during the 2022 Africa Day, A considerable number of African leaders gathered to discuss critical issues of importance to Africa and the globe, at the World Economic Forum on May 25. Industry leaders believe that through the right collaborations and the resources available to it, the African Soft Power Summit, has built requisite capacity and goodwill, to achieve its desire towards fully establishing May as Africa Month, with African leaders and creatives showing more solid involvement and presence during subsequent summits.

Femi Isaac is a Communications Consultant, a tech-enthusiast and social Commentator. He can be reached via [email protected].