Nairobi to host Africa Climate Investment Summit ahead of COP30

KENYA – Nairobi will host the inaugural Africa Climate Investment Summit (ACIS) from October 28–30, 2025, bringing together over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and development partners to chart a unified African position on climate finance ahead of the UN COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil this November.

Organized by the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC) in partnership with hubs across the continent, ACIS will serve as a platform to mobilize investment, strengthen policy frameworks, and highlight African-led solutions to the climate crisis.

Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, losing an estimated US$7–15 billion annually to climate-related impacts such as drought, energy poverty, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity.

At the same time, Africa holds vast untapped potential: the continent boasts 60% of the world’s best solar resources, fertile land for sustainable agriculture, and diverse ecosystems capable of supporting climate resilience.

Yet, less than 2% of global climate finance currently reaches African innovators.

ACIS seeks to close this gap by directing resources into four priority sectors: agribusiness, renewable energy, waste and water management, and nature-based solutions.

The Summit will spotlight entrepreneurs driving impact, from drought-resistant crop developers and solar companies powering rural households to recycling enterprises turning waste into new products and restoration projects safeguarding forests and coastlines.

Key initiatives to be unveiled include the Africa Climate Investment Platform and Revolving Fund, designed to channel financing directly into climate-smart enterprises, and the African Climate Investment Manifesto, which will be presented at COP30 as a collective framework for climate investment across the continent.

“African entrepreneurs are solving pressing climate challenges, but too often they lack the support to scale,” said Joseph Marabula, CEO of KCIC.

“The Climate Investment Summit will change this by connecting them directly with investors and positioning Africa as a hub for climate-smart innovation.”

Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC), emphasized the human dimension of the Summit, “Every deal we close at ACIS is a family gaining clean energy, a farmer building resilience, and a community reducing vulnerability to climate shocks.”

With backing from long-term partners including DANIDA, the EU, the World Bank, and the IKEA Foundation, KCIC aims to ensure the Summit delivers measurable outcomes.

For investors, corporates, governments, and NGOs, ACIS represents a rare opportunity to align strategies, unlock capital, and accelerate Africa’s transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

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