The Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres, in collaboration with the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), today highlighted the accelerating economic integration between Africa and Asia. Over the past two decades, financial hubs—led by Hong Kong and five of the leading financial centers in Africa—have emerged as the primary gateways for capital, innovation, and sustainable growth between the two continents.

Hong Kong: The Strategic Gateway

As Asian investors seek diversified destinations and African markets deepen regional integration, Hong Kong has solidified its position as a central hub. Its stable regulatory environment and sophisticated capital markets allow both public and private investors to efficiently channel funds into high-growth African sectors.

Conversely, African sovereign wealth funds and major corporations are increasingly leveraging Hong Kong for:

• Trade Financing: Facilitating seamless commodity and supply-chain flows.
• Portfolio Diversification: Accessing global investment opportunities.
• Capital Market Access: Utilizing Hong Kong’s robust financial infrastructure for growth.

A Multilateral Network of Hubs

The relationship is supported by a network of critical African financial hubs including Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Rwanda. These centers serve as trusted entry points, providing the information and facilitation necessary for international trade.

Major banking institutions continue to play a pivotal role as neutral intermediaries between both Asian and African markets, offering structured investment products specifically tailored to the unique needs of African markets.

BRIDGING CONTINENTS: Unlocking Asia–Africa Opportunities

In conjunction with the Asian Financial Forum taking place on 26 and 27 January 2026 in Hong Kong, the Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres, has formally launched a publication titled Bridging Continents: Unlocking Asia - Africa Opportunities, commissioned by Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council.    

The publication provides a comprehensive and forward looking analysis of the rapidly expanding trade, investment, and financial linkages between Asia and Africa. It highlights the scale of untapped opportunities across priority sectors including financial services, infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, energy, agribusiness, and professional services. It also examines the evolving role of financial centres as critical gateways for capital mobilisation, risk intermediation, and cross border partnerships between both continents.    

The launch of the publication underscores the growing strategic importance of Asia-Africa collaboration within the global financial system. It reflects a shared ambition to move from dialogue to delivery, strengthening connectivity between both continents and laying the foundation for sustained trade growth, investment expansion, and mutually beneficial economic development in the years ahead.

The Future: Fintech and Digital Innovation

While infrastructure and natural resources remain pillars of the partnership, the future of Africa-Asia relations is shifting toward digital finance. The rapid adoption of mobile money and digital banking across Africa, paired with Asia’s booming fintech ecosystems, is creating new pathways for collaboration that transcend traditional industry boundaries.

Outlook for Growth

The Asia-Africa financial relationship is entering a period of maturity. Driven by Africa’s increasing attractiveness as a tech-growth continent and Hong Kong’s status as a globally integrated hub, the outlook is one of long-term opportunity and deepening cross-sectoral engagement.

Statements

“From the vibrant hub of Hong Kong, we have a privileged vantage point on the shifting tides of global finance and trade. For decades, our city has served as the gateway to China and a critical nexus for Asia’s economic miracle. Today, we witness the dawn of another transformative epoch: the rapid acceleration of Asia-Africa economic integration. This is not a transient trend, but the foundation of a long-term partnership that will redefine global growth in the 21st century.” 

Dr King Au,  

Executive Director,   

Financial Services Development Council   

“The Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres is a collaborative initiative that aims to strengthen and promote African financial hubs. Key objectives include increasing trade and investment flows, positioning African centers as global gateways, fostering innovation in fintech and digital finance, and enhancing regional cooperation among its members. The Roundtable seeks to build a unified voice for African financial centers on the international stage.

Our call to the world, and particularly to partners in Asia, is clear: look beyond the headlines and see the structural shift underway. Engage with us not as a distant market, but as a co-creator of value. The barriers are real, but they are surmountable through collaboration. By aligning Asia’s formidable capital and technological prowess with Africa’s ground-level expertise and growth ambitions, we can build the bridges that will define the next chapter of global prosperity. This is not just an African opportunity; it is a shared one.”

Obi Ibekwe,  

Chair,  

Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres  

“Africa is entering a transformative era in which ambition, ingenuity, and strategic vision are redefining its place on the global stage. Landmark initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to unify 1.2 billion consumers into a single landscape of opportunity, exemplify this shift. At WAIFC, our mission is to ensure that this promise is backed by a robust financial infrastructure. By aligning standards and facilitating seamless capital flows between African markets and strategic Asian hubs such as Hong Kong, we are turning Africa’s immense potential into tangible, global impact for generations to come.”  

Lamia Merzouki,  

Chair,  

World Alliance of International Financial Centers