Norwegian-African Business Outlook 2027
Thursday 21 January 2027, 14:00–16:00
Ruseløkkveien 26, 0251 Oslo
Co-hosted by NABA and ABG Sundal Collier
The African continent is changing how it handles global shocks. There is a trend of local production for local needs, from fuel to fertiliser, and credit upgrades have outnumbered downgrades, meaning that African economies have become more resilient. Several countries, with Ghana and Ethiopia in front, came out of debt crises and back toward stability. These are great promises for the 2027 outlook.
The most important lesson of the year may be that Africa is not short of capital. The problem is that its capital is trapped and unevenly distributed. According to Africa Finance Corporation pension funds, insurers and sovereign wealth funds on the continent now manage more than the money flowing in from abroad. Much of it still sits unused because of strict rules and too few long-term investment products. With global aid declining and borrowing still expensive, this becomes the key question for 2027: Can African capital be mobilised before foreign investment seeks ownership of African critical infrastructure? How can Norwegian expertise, funding and resources support this?
Going into 2027, the outside world is changing fast. Trade deals with the US are being renegotiated, China and the Gulf states are competing for minerals, and the Western identity as a donor is being reimagined. Conflicts in Sudan, eastern Congo and the Sahel continue and should not be ignored by the global security agenda. The winners in 2027 will be the countries and companies that create their own capital, their own value chains and their own markets, the driving force.
At the same time, Norway is at a turning point of its own. Through Prosjekt Vendepunkt, the government is rethinking development policy for a world where aid is being redefined and strategic tools like trade and investment are being used to mobilise greater private capital using grant structures. That change lines up with what Africa itself is asking for: fewer donors and more partners who bring capital, skills and markets.
Key topics of discussion include for the Norwegian-African Business Outlook will be:
Renewable energy and power grids. Solar is now the largest source of new power capacity in Africa, and rooftop solar is cheaper than diesel in many areas with frequent power cuts. The next wave of investment will go to power lines, storage and system integration.
Ports, maritime and logistics. The ports already exist. The value now lies in making transport corridors, border crossings and logistics work as connected supply chains. As intra-African trade grows, there is a market for shipping, port operations, digital logistics and offshore services.
Food and agriculture. Investments in African processing and value addition to food production is high on the agenda among African countries. A wide range of African food products and brands align with global standards and traceability requirements. All that is left is genuine, long-term and equitable off-take.
Oil and natural gas. The large African projects of the coming years are deepwater, subsea and LNG. Mozambique LNG is back on track after years at a standstill, Namibia is moving from discovery toward development, and Angola and Nigeria need new technology to keep mature fields producing. That creates demand for subsea equipment, engineering, offshore vessels, digital operations and maintenance. Low-emission production is becoming a competitive advantage as buyers in Europe and Asia demand gas with a lower carbon footprint.
The Norwegian-African Business Outlook for 2027 will assess where real opportunities are emerging, and how Norway can be a long-term partner in a more diversified, competitive and inclusive African economy.
Join us for an afternoon of analysis, debate and networking with leaders who work across Norway and Africa.