Afreximbank names speakers for 2026 Africa Compliance Forum

CAIRO, November 4, 2026 – The African Export-Import Bank [Afreximbank] has announced a line-up of speakers for its 2026 Compliance Forum, which will bring together regulators, financial institutions and compliance experts to discuss regulatory barriers, correspondent banking challenges and the role of technology in facilitating cross-border trade.

The forum, described as Africa’s largest compliance-focused gathering, will take place from November 16 to 18 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre in Botswana.

It is being organised in partnership with the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre [BITC] under the theme: “Better Compliance – Better Trade: Leveraging Compliance to Promote African Regulations that Advance Intra-African Economic and Trade Integration.”

The discussions will focus on strengthening regulatory cooperation, improving access to financial services and harnessing technology to enhance compliance across African markets.

Among the confirmed speakers are Bank of Botswana Governor Lesego Caster Moseki; Patrick Ndzana Olomo, Acting Director of Economic Development, Integration and Trade and Head of Economic Policy and Sustainable Development at the African Union Commission [AUC]; and Luis Koberg, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Klearium Group.

Others include Shane Ridel, Chief Executive Officer of Elucidate; Sophie Barre, Global Head of Risk and Compliance at Wave Mobile Money Group; Mooketsi Ramanteba of the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority [NBFIRA]; Nellie Nuyoni, Head of Private Sector at CBZ Holdings; Moira Mapundu, Head of Compliance at NMB Bank Limited; and Boitumelo William of Continental Reinsurance.

Compliance specialists from Dow Jones and Standard Chartered will also participate.

Keletsositse Olebile, Chief Executive Officer of BITC, said strong regulatory frameworks were essential for building investor confidence and supporting economic growth.

“Strong and predictable compliance systems build investor confidence, protect institutions, and create the conditions in which trade and enterprise can flourish,” Olebile said.

The forum will examine how African countries can improve coordination between their regulatory systems while retaining national sovereignty.

In a statement, Idrissa Diop, Afreximbank’s Compliance Director, said differences in legal frameworks, supervisory approaches and levels of digital development continued to create challenges for financial institutions operating across the continent.

“Our banks across Africa operate across very different legal systems, supervisory approaches and levels of digital maturity. Africa does not need uniformity at any cost. It needs interoperability that reduces friction while preserving regulatory sovereignty,” Diop said.

He called on regulators, banks, fintech companies, trade institutions, compliance specialists and technology providers to use the forum to develop practical approaches to regulatory cooperation.

The opening session, titled “Is Better Compliance Leading to Better Trade?”, will examine how regulatory cooperation can facilitate cross-border business.

Other sessions will address anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, sanctions, cybersecurity, consumer protection and the application of artificial intelligence in compliance management.

Access to correspondent banking services will also feature prominently, amid concerns that some African banks continue to face difficulties maintaining relationships with international financial institutions.

Koberg said limited transparency across payment systems was among the challenges affecting access to correspondent banking services.

“Many African banks continue to face barriers to accessing correspondent banking services. The reasons given often overlook a fundamental challenge: limited visibility across the payment chain,” he said.

He added that improved transparency would enable financial institutions to assess and manage risks more accurately.

The forum will also explore how fintech companies and risk-based customer onboarding approaches can expand access to affordable financial services while meeting regulatory requirements.

Barre said technology and risk-based onboarding could help fintech companies improve financial inclusion while maintaining compliance standards.

“Fintechs are rewriting the rules of financial inclusion and efficiency. By combining world-class technology with intelligent, risk-based onboarding, they can deliver affordable, simple and reliable services within a compliant ecosystem,” she said.

The event will also feature an exhibition showcasing artificial intelligence-enabled systems for detecting and preventing money laundering and terrorist financing.

The demonstrations will give delegates an opportunity to explore emerging technologies for strengthening risk detection, transaction monitoring and regulatory reporting.

The forum comes amid growing demands on financial institutions arising from artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, third-party risks and increasingly divergent regulatory requirements.

Through the 2026 Compliance Forum, Afreximbank seeks to promote practical compliance strategies that reflect Africa’s regulatory and economic realities while drawing on international best practices.

The gathering is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to develop approaches that protect financial institutions while facilitating the movement of capital, goods and services across African borders.

https://thecooperator.news/afc-munich-re-sign-us-1bln-deal-to-boost-trade-finance-for-african-banks/

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