The 2024 West Africa Deal Summit (WADS) wrapped up on Wednesday, emphasizing the need for stronger regional collaboration to mobilize catalytic capital and address West Africa’s unique socioeconomic challenges. The two-day event, which brought together over 400 investors, entrepreneurs, government officials, and thought leaders, spotlighted innovative financing strategies to drive sustainable development across the region.
Under the theme "Actions to Deepen Catalytic Capital in West Africa," the summit was organized by the Impact Investors Foundation in collaboration with Impact Investing Ghana and taskforces from Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire. A joint statement released at the event’s close outlined key priority actions to deepen the use of catalytic capital for transformative impact.
A significant highlight was the unveiling of two pivotal reports—Catalytic Capital in Nigeria and Context Mapping and Market Landscape for Catalytic Capital in Nigeria. These reports identify key players deploying catalytic capital in Nigeria, analyze their investment strategies, and map the range of capital flows in the Nigerian market.
The summit concluded with an awards ceremony celebrating organizations that have made remarkable contributions to environmental and social impact. Alitheia Capital Management was recognized as the Impact Investor of the Year 2024, while FAMASI Limited earned the title of Social Enterprise of the Year 2024. The Innocent Chukwuma Award for Social Impact 2024 was awarded to the Centre for Legal Support and Inmates Rehabilitation (CELSIR).
In partnership with LEAP Africa, the summit also honored outstanding participants in the Social Innovators Programme. FarmSpeak Technology and Power Wheels Electricals received the Outstanding Fellow Award, while the Seyi Bickersteth Award for Financial Accountability 2024 was presented to the Read to Learn Foundation. Natal Cares took home the Innocent Chukwuma Award for Youth and Gender Empowerment 2024, further highlighting the summit’s focus on innovation and impact-driven leadership in West Africa.
The IIF and Nigeria Office for Philanthropy and Impact Investing (NPO) also jointly awarded the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu with the Policy Champion for Philanthropy and Impact Investing award for his role in championing Nigeria’s first-ever legislation on impact investing and philanthropy.
Etemore Glover, CEO of the Impact Investors Foundation, highlighted the collective commitment of summit participants to accelerating efforts in building national and regional ecosystems that drive resilience and sustainable growth.
“We, the impact investing community, commit to building national and regional ecosystems that foster sustainable growth and resilience. Catalytic capital, strong governance, regional collaboration, and innovative financing mechanisms are essential for leveraging West Africa’s potential,” she said.
The joint statement was issued by Mirabelle Moreaux, Board Vice Chair, Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh); Etemore Glover, CEO, Impact Investors Foundation; Amma Lartey, CEO, Impact Investing Ghana; Yacouba Ouedraogo (PhD), Member, Burkina Faso Impact Investing Taskforce and Co-founder, Africa Impact Investing Partnerships Centre and Bowel Diop, Member, Senegal Impact Investing Taskforce.
Key initiatives outlined in the joint statement include strengthening regional collaboration and Knowledge Exchange; Mobilising Local Capital; Encouraging Innovation and Collaboration for Systemic Change; Strengthening Good Governance and Capacity-Building for MSMEs; and promoting Data-Driven Design and Execution. The summit closed with an invitation to the Africa Impact Summit 2025 scheduled for June 11-12, 2025, in Accra, Ghana.
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