KIFC assumes leadership of the Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres
The Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) has officially assumed the role of Chair of the Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres (ARFC), marking a new chapter in strengthening collaboration among Africa’s leading international financial centers. The handover from EnterpriseNGR was formalized in the presence of the World Alliance leadership during an ARFC meeting held on 28 July 2026 at KIFC.
This role places Rwanda at the helm of a continental platform dedicated to strengthening cooperation among Africa’s financial centres and enhancing the continent’s competitiveness in the global financial landscape. During its tenure, EnterpriseNGR established a multi-year strategy centered on connecting African financial centers for global competitiveness, with a focus on collaboration, policy dialogue, knowledge sharing and institutional growth.
Obi Ibekwe, CEO, EnterpriseNGR and outgoing Chair of ARFC
“We started our chairmanship by articulating a multi-year strategy or direction for ARFC, which we titled ‘Connecting African Financial Centres for Global Competitiveness.’ that clarity and direction helped us a lot in defining activities for the year.”
Building on this foundation, KIFC will lead the Roundtable under the theme “The Future of African Financial Centres: Pathways to Global Competitiveness.” The theme reflects a shared ambition to strengthen Africa’s collective competitiveness through deeper collaboration, stronger partnerships, and greater visibility on the global stage.
ARFC members during a meeting on 28 July 2026
Priority initiatives during KIFC’s tenure include joint thought leadership, stronger collaboration among African financial centres, advancing flagship projects such as license passporting and regulatory dialogue, expanding ARFC’s membership, and enhancing the Roundtable’s visibility through coordinated communications and knowledge sharing.
Hortense Mudenge, Chief Executive Officer, Kigali International Financial Centre
“The strategic objectives remain the same, strengthening intra-African collaboration, enhancing our global positioning, and encouraging more members to join. Our role is to build on the work already done, bring greater visibility to the Roundtable and its members, and strengthen Africa’s collective voice in global finance.”
For Rwanda, assuming the Chair of ARFC reflects the country’s growing role as a trusted financial center and a convenor of pan-African collaboration. It provides KIFC with a unique platform to strengthen partnerships across the continent, shape the future of Africa’s financial ecosystem, and position Africa as an increasingly attractive destination for global investment.
The Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres acts as the regional platform of the World Alliance in Africa, strengthening collaboration among African financial centers.
The World Alliance is the leading global platform of international financial centers, acting as a catalyst for bilateral, regional, and global collaboration, fostering financial innovation, and cooperating with major international organizations. The alliance was founded in 2018 in Paris by financial centers from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Since its establishment, the World Alliance has grown into a global network spanning multiple continents, bringing together established and emerging financial centers.
The KIFC, joined the World Alliance in 2022, becoming part of this global network of international financial centers. Later that year, KIFC hosted a World Alliance Board Meeting in Kigali, the first to be held in Rwanda, demonstrating the country’s growing role in international finance and reinforcing its ambition to position Rwanda as a preferred gateway for investment into Africa.
As World Alliance’s membership in Africa continued to grow, the Alliance supported the establishment of ARFC in 2024. Created by the World Alliance’s African members, the Roundtable serves as the Alliance’s regional platform for Africa, enabling financial centers across the continent to collaborate more closely, advance common priorities, and strengthen Africa’s collective voice within the global financial ecosystem.