ADC 2026 · April 17–18 · Cambridge, MA
Conference
Conference
Program
Harvard Kennedy School · Harvard Law School · Two days of plenaries, panels, action labs, and the Policy Design Hackathon.
Day One
9:00 – 16:00
Optional
Policy Design Hackathon
Student teams design capital, policy, or institutional models addressing Africa's development challenges.
Knowledge Partner: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)
NYE-ABC, Taubman Building
12:00 – 17:30
Registration & Welcome
Check-in, welcome packs, and networking.
Wexner-102, HKS
16:00 – 16:20
Plenary
Opening Ceremony
Land Acknowledgement · Welcome Remarks · Opening Keynote
ADC Co-Chairs Welcome Remarks
Dr. Zoe Marks Oppenheimer Faculty Director, Harvard Center for African Studies; Lecturer in Public Policy, HKS · Welcome Remarks
H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Former President of Mauritius · Opening Keynote
Introduced by: Mme Bineta Diop, Former AU Special Envoy
Co-hosted with the Institute of Politics (IoP) at HKS
JFK Jr. Forum, HKS
16:30 – 17:15
Plenary Panel
Africa and the World: Reclaiming Agency in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Former President of Mauritius
H.E. Mark-Alexandre Doumba Minister of Digital Economy & Innovation, Gabon
Dr. Jendayi Frazer Former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
Moderated by: Mayowa Kuyoro, Partner at McKinsey & Co.
JFK Jr. Forum, HKS
17:30 – 18:45
Breakout Sessions
Concurrent Panels & Hackathon Pitches
Panel 1: Democracy in Africa: Crisis, Contestation & Resilience
Hon. Nontembeko Boyce — Speaker, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, South Africa
H.E. Cédric Tidiane Diarra — Vice President, National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire
Prof. Chidi Odinkalu — Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, and Academic
Mme. Bineta Diop — Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace, and Security
Moderated by: David Idowu
Littauer L-130
Panel 2: Sovereign Wealth Funds & Africa's Next Growth Frontier: From Stabilisation to Strategic Transformation
Obaid Amrane — CEO, Ithmar Capital, Morocco
Binta Barry — CEO, Guinea Simandou Sovereign Wealth Fund
Moderated by: Wilmot Allen — Senior Fellow, Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, HKS
Littauer L-140
Panel 3: From Aid to Investment: Who Pays for Africa's Climate Transition?
Kolawole Adesina — Executive Director, Sahara Group
Jonathan Berman — President, Shell Foundation
Nick O'Donohoe — Former CEO, British International Investment (BII)
Chinua Azubike — CEO, InfraCredit
Moderated by: John Macomber — Faculty Chair, HBS Africa Research Center
Littauer L-150
Panel 4: Confronting 'Green Colonialism': Indigenous and Community-Led Solutions for Africa's Just Transition
Dr. Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine — Former Chair, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Dr. Brenda Parlee — Bieler Chair in Northern Climate Change and Sustainability, McGill University
Moderated by: Malika Kounkourou — Co-chair, ADC 2026; JD Candidate, Harvard Law School
Littauer L-230
Hackathon: Pitches & Deliberation
Littauer Rooms, HKS
19:00 – 21:00
Welcome Cocktail Reception
NYE-ABC, Taubman Building, HKS
Day Two
8:00 – 16:00
Registration & Breakfast
Check-in, welcome packs, breakfast, and networking.
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
9:00 – 9:30
Plenary
Welcome & Opening Address
ADC Co-Chairs Welcome Remarks
Prof. Celestin Monga Adjunct Professor, Harvard Kennedy School · Opening Address
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
9:30 – 10:30
Plenary
In Conversation: Dr. Sidi Ould Tah
Dr. Sidi Ould Tah President, African Development Bank Group
Moderated by: Fatema Sumar, Executive Director, Center for International Development, HKS
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
10:45 – 11:45
Keynote
Keynote Address
His Majesty Ogiame Atúwàtse III Olu of Warri Kingdom, Nigeria
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
12:00 – 13:00
Plenary Panel
A New Era of Leadership in Africa: Values, Institutions and Influence
His Majesty Ogiame Atúwàtse III Olu of Warri Kingdom, Nigeria
Boris Kodjoe Actor, Philanthropist & Founder, Full Circle Africa
Apostle Isi Igenegba Leadership Coach & Founder, Isi Benedicta Institute
Moderated by: Chinenye Uwanaka — Co-chair, ADC 2026; Founder, The Firma Advisory; Mason Fellow MC/MPA Candidate, Harvard
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
12:30 – 13:45
Networking Lunch
Networking Lunch · Africa50 Recruitment Luncheon
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS · WCC
14:00 – 14:15
Keynote
Keynote Address
Serge Ekué President, West African Development Bank (BOAD)
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
14:15 – 15:15
Plenary Panel
Rewriting the Financing Playbook: Mobilizing African Capital
Patrick Njoroge Former Governor, Central Bank of Kenya
Zurina Saban General Counsel, Africa50
Mohammed Abdul-Razaq Head of Capital Mobilization & Partnerships, Africa Finance Corporation
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
15:30 – 16:45
Breakout Sessions
Concurrent Panels
Panel 1: Why Catalytic Capital Isn't Catalyzing?
Chinua Azubike — CEO, InfraCredit
Joan Manda — Head, Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Initiative, UNDP
Representative — African Development Bank Group (AFAWA Initiative)
Zain Latif — Managing Partner, TLG Capital
Moderated by: Joan Manda — Global Lead, Timbuktoo–UNDP, Regional Bureau for Africa
WCC L-130
Panel 2: Sovereignty, Stability & Power: Hard Choices in African Energy Security
Ifeoma Malo — Co-Founder & CEO, Clean Tech Hub Nigeria
John-Charuk Siafa — Mayor of Monrovia, Liberia
Stanley Opara — Executive Director, African Methane Mitigation and Intelligence Network (AMMIN)
Moderated by: Natalie Colbert — ED, Belfer Center; Co-Lead, Africa Futures Project
WCC L-140
Panel 3: Moving Up the Value Chain: Pathways to Economic Complexity
M D Ramesh — Former Regional Head (South & East Africa), OLAM International
Tsonam Akpeloo — Industry and Trade Lead, African Union EC2OSOCC
H.E. Ismael Nabe — Ministry of Plan and International Cooperation, Guinea
Moderated by: Frannie Leautier — Senior Partner & CEO, Southbridge Investments, Southbridge Group
WCC L-150
Panel 4: Scaling African Ingenuity: Innovation, Creativity, and Diaspora Networks in a New Global Order
Funke Opeke — Founder & CEO, Main One
Rym Baouendi — Executive Director, Harvard Innovation Labs
Diane Audrey Ngako — President & Founder, Omenkart Group
Brice Yonkeu — Co-Founder, BWO Art
Moderated by: Ibrahima Ba — Meta
WCC L-230
Panel 5: Education as Africa's Engine for Innovation and Economic Sovereignty
Dr. Chakanetsa Mavhunga — Professor of Science, Technology, and Society, MIT
Dr. Naomi Adjepong — School Director, Alpha Beta Education Centers
Dr. Obi Davies Ekwenna — CEO, Robomed Global; Professor of Urology and Transplantation, University of Toledo
Dr. Martin Cheruyiot — Kajiado County Director of Education, Kenya
WCC L-280
WCC Rooms, HLS
17:00 – 17:30
Hackathon
Policy Hackathon — Final Pitches
Presentation by the Policy Hackathon winning teams.
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
17:30 – 18:00
Closing Plenary
Award Ceremony & Closing Remarks
Award ceremony for Policy Hackathon winners.
H.E. Amina Mohammed Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations · Closing Remarks
Prof. Ruth Okediji Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law, Harvard Law School · Closing Remarks
Milstein, Wasserstein Hall, HLS
19:00 – 22:00
Formal Dinner
Harvard Art Museums
23:00 – 02:00
ADC Afterparty
ICON Nightclub