As Africa grapples with urgent development challenges and unprecedented opportunity, some of the continent’s most influential leaders, innovators, and professionals are heading to Kigali for a critical summit aimed at rethinking how projects are designed and delivered to achieve lasting impact.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) will host the Global Summit Series Africa from August 19 to 21, 2025, at the Kigali Convention Centre, bringing together top voices from across sectors to explore how Africa’s project economy can better respond to the continent’s growing demands.
This premier summit will convene senior project professionals, government officials, business executives, development partners, and emerging project talent.
It comes at a time when Africa is navigating a complex landscape shaped by climate change, infrastructure gaps, youth unemployment, technological disruption, and the demands of a growing population.
The focus will be on one vital question: how can Africa deliver projects that go beyond budgets and timelines to create real social, economic, and institutional value?
A Shift in Project Thinking
In today’s fast-evolving context, project success is no longer defined by whether objectives are met on time or within budget.
Success, more than ever, must be measured by how a project contributes to long-term resilience, inclusive economic growth, technological progress, and meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
That is the message PMI is championing, and Kigali will be the platform where this conversation takes center stage.
George Asamani, Managing Director of PMI Sub-Saharan Africa, believes Africa is at a pivotal moment. He points out that the African Development Bank estimates the continent requires up to $170 billion annually to bridge its infrastructure deficit, yet faces a staggering $108 billion financing shortfall.
In this context, he says, project management cannot be an afterthought.
“With so much at stake, project management can’t be an afterthought; it’s key to delivery. As countries advance infrastructure, digital, and social programmes, the demand for skilled professionals is more urgent than ever,” he said. “The Global Summit Series Africa responds to this urgency. This is not just a moment to gather, it’s a moment to grow and guide. It is where knowledge meets practice and where bold voices converge to ask and answer: How can Africa execute differently?”
The Voices Shaping Africa’s Future
The Summit will bring together a dynamic and diverse group of speakers who are shaping Africa’s future in different arenas—from high-level public policy and finance to disruptive startups, cultural platforms, and educational institutions.
This year’s lineup reflects the breadth of Africa’s leadership, from the corridors of government to the cutting edge of innovation.
Armand Nzeyimana, Director of the Development Impact and Results Department at the African Development Bank, will join Pierre Kayitana, General Manager of Zipline Rwanda, and Elie Habimana, Managing Director of Norrsken East Africa, on stage to share insights into how institutions are delivering results in increasingly complex environments. Kusobile Kamwambi, who heads the Presidential Delivery Unit in the Government of Zambia, is also scheduled to address the Summit, offering a view into how leadership structures can prioritize and implement transformative national agendas.
From the creative industries, cultural voices such as Olubankole Wellington—better known as Banky W—will bring an artistic and entrepreneurial lens to the discussion.
The Nigerian-American singer, actor, and business leader has emerged as a powerful advocate for purpose-driven work and youth inclusion. He will be joined by Tunde Onakoya, the Nigerian chess champion and Guinness World Record holder, whose story of perseverance and innovation continues to inspire young Africans.
Education, Experience, and Emerging Talent
Education will be another major theme of the Summit, with senior academic leaders set to reflect on how African institutions are cultivating the next generation of project managers and leaders. Professor Kayihura Muganga Didas, Vice Chancellor and Associate Professor of Business Law at the University of Rwanda, will share the institution’s vision for preparing students for Africa’s transformation.
He will be joined by Celestin Nkeramihigo, Dean of Faculty at Kepler College, who brings a practical view of how teaching and curriculum design can align with industry needs.
Corporate and development sector voices will also be central to the conversation. Emily Mutaga, Head of PMO at Bank of Kigali, is expected to speak about how financial institutions are evolving to deliver more efficient, tech-enabled services. She will be joined by Chinedu Mbonu, Senior Programme Manager at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office at the British High Commission, as well as Ancicalia Matizha, Group Head of PMO at Old Mutual Zimbabwe, and Deeksha Singh, Head of Vitality PMO at Discovery. Together, they bring valuable expertise from large-scale, high-stakes environments.
One of the returning speakers is Billy Mwape, CIO of FNB Zambia, who emphasized the critical relevance of this Summit to the continent’s development.
“In Africa, the stakes are high; projects must deliver tangible outcomes, often under complex conditions,” he said. “That’s why the Summit matters. It brings together professionals who understand our realities and are focused on delivery that works in our context. Having spoken at this Summit before, I’m returning because these conversations are not only relevant, they drive the kind of collaboration and clarity we need to move Africa forward and make Agenda 2063 more than a vision, but a lived reality.”
A Message from a Champion of Africa’s Development
The Summit will also feature a special message from Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, former President of the African Development Bank, who has long been a leading voice in advocating for smart execution and results-based leadership in Africa.
His message is expected to highlight the role of effective project delivery in unleashing Africa’s full potential, and the urgent need to ensure that investments translate into meaningful outcomes for communities across the continent.
Local Ownership and Continental Collaboration
The event will also spotlight how project transformation in Africa is as much a bottom-up effort as it is top-down. PMI Chapter Presidents from Kenya, Angola, Togo, Ghana, and Namibia will participate alongside Innocent Kayigamba, President of the PMI Rwanda Chapter.
Their contributions will highlight the growing role of locally anchored project management communities in advancing global best practices and mentoring Africa’s next generation of practitioners.
This peer-driven movement reflects PMI’s broader commitment to making project management more accessible and relevant to Africa’s development realities.
It also shows that transformation doesn’t have to be led only by governments or institutions—it can be built from within communities, one project at a time.
Kigali’s Role in Africa’s Project Renaissance
It is fitting that the Summit is being hosted in Kigali, a city increasingly recognized as a hub for innovation, policy experimentation, and infrastructure development.
Rwanda’s recent advances in e-government, health technology, and smart infrastructure provide real-time examples of how well-managed projects can transform societies.
PMI’s decision to host the Global Summit Series Africa in Kigali is both symbolic and practical. It positions Rwanda as a living case study of how vision, planning, and execution can work together to achieve national transformation.
It also places Kigali at the center of a vital continental conversation—one that could influence the course of African development for years to come.
As delegates from across the continent descend on Kigali this August, the goal is not only to exchange knowledge but to inspire action. With the right skills, partnerships, and vision, Africa’s projects can move beyond promises—and into powerful engines of change.
