8th Africa Industrialisation Week Begins with Call for Sustainable Industrialization

The 2025 Africa Industrialization Week (AIW 2025)— the flagship continental platform dedicated to advancing Africa’s industrial transformation—opened Monday in Kampala, Uganda, under the theme “Transforming Africa’s Economy through Sustainable Industrialization, Regional Integration, and Innovation.”

Since 2018, the African Union has commemorated Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) as a week-long event that convenes policymakers, private sector leaders, SMEs, development partners, women entrepreneurs, and youth innovators from across the AU’s 55 Member States. AIW has evolved into a strategic forum for policy dialogue, B2B networking, and showcasing both achievements and persistent barriers in Africa’s industrial development.

Scheduled for November 17–21, 2025, AIW 2025 aims to accelerate sustainable industrialization, deepen regional integration, and expand innovation ecosystems across the continent. The event is part of the AU’s efforts to implement its Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development (AIDA), within the broader Agenda 2063 framework—Africa’s long-term blueprint for socio-economic transformation.

While speaking at a Media Breakfast Session on Monday, Mrs. Ron Osman Omar, Director of Industry, Minerals, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism (IMET) at the AU Commission, highlighted AIW’s growing relevance in Africa’s development agenda.

“The AIW is a crucial platform for discussing industrial policy, facilitating business-to-business networking, and highlighting progress and challenges in Africa’s industrial development. The success of Agenda 2063 hinges on the structural transformation of the continent through industrialization,” Mrs. Omar said.

With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now already under implementation, AIW 2025 is expected to advance Africa’s industrialization ambitions by promoting the continent’s sustainable and inclusive industrial growth.

“Regional Integration Crucial for Africa’s Industrialization” – Commissioner

Mr. Denis Ainebyona, Commissioner for Industry and Technology at Uganda’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives (MTIC), emphasized the central role of regional integration in boosting Africa’s industrial growth. He noted that interconnected markets and enhanced competitiveness are essential for attracting meaningful investment across diverse value chains.

“Regional integration is crucial for Africa’s industrialization. We need to create larger markets and increase competitiveness to attract investments. Our biggest challenge is reducing the cost of doing business and industrialization, and ensuring that youth startups can connect with major investors, suppliers, and consumers,” said Commissioner Ainebyona.

Accelerating Women and Youth Startups

AIW 2025 features three core tracks:

• Policy Track: Focused on developing policy blueprints for industrial parks and renewing commitments to the AU’s Action Plan for Accelerated Industrial Development (AIDA).
• African Women in Processing (AWIP) Forum: Now in its fourth edition, the forum champions women’s leadership in industrialization by providing processors with market access, policy support, and technical tools to scale their enterprises.
• African Union Youth Startup Forum: A platform showcasing and empowering youth-led innovation in sectors including AI, fintech, agriculture, education, and product development. It connects innovators with investors, mentors, and industry leaders.

According to Mrs. Omar, the Youth Startup Forum aims to fast-track youth-led industrialization through curated engagements such as investor dialogues, reverse pitching, innovation exhibitions, and deal-making sessions.

“This year, we are proud to feature dynamic youth-led start-ups from across the continent, including from the host country. Their solutions span agriculture, health, education, and other key sectors. To ensure these youth innovators—and the millions of MSMEs they will grow into—have the right ecosystem to scale, the African Union has established the Enterprise Africa Network (EAN),” Mrs. Omar said.

The Enterprise Africa Network (EAN) is the AU’s flagship mechanism for strengthening MSME capacity, competitiveness, and market access. It connects entrepreneurs to knowledge, networks, financing pathways, and standards that enable them to grow beyond local markets and seize opportunities under the AfCFTA.