For the first time in history, the G20 Summit will be held on African soil in November 2025, marking a pivotal moment for the continent. Strive Masiyiwa, a leading African entrepreneur and philanthropist, delivered a keynote address in Cape Town at the launch of South Africa’s presidency of the B20 and G20, where he underscored the importance of strategic collaboration for Africa’s economic growth.
Masiyiwa, who has been appointed as a co-chair of the B20 South Africa Task Force, emphasized Africa’s potential as a unified economic force. “African economies are too small to go it alone. We must collaborate to accelerate growth,” he stated. He highlighted the significance of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which unites over 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of approximately $3.4 trillion.
Reflecting on Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Masiyiwa detailed how leaders across sectors worked together to protect the continent’s population. “Few people realize that Africa had the lowest sickness and mortality rates globally. This was no accident—it was the result of tireless efforts from leaders in politics, business, and philanthropy,” he noted. He recounted how Africa’s largest supply chain and logistics operation was mobilized to manufacture and distribute vaccines, even extending support to Caribbean nations, enabling Jamaican athletes to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
Masiyiwa will co-lead the B20 Finance and Infrastructure Task Force, which, along with seven other task forces, will present policy recommendations to G20 leaders. These include:
- Trade and Investment
- Industrial Transformation and Innovation
- Employment and Education
- Energy Mix and Just Transition
- Digital Transformation
- Integrity and Compliance
- Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture
Encouraging African professionals to engage with the B20 process, Masiyiwa emphasized that Africa’s greatest asset is not its mineral wealth but its young, dynamic population. “We must harness this human capital to shape our economic future,” he urged.
As the B20 task forces convene over the next six months, Masiyiwa remains optimistic about Africa’s role in the global economic landscape. “It is going to be an interesting year,” he concluded.
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