Around 600 policymakers, investors, project developers and corporate buyers have gathered in Kigali for the 2026 African Carbon Markets Summit, seeking to mobilise climate finance and turn Africa’s carbon market potential into investment-ready projects and real transactions.
The summit aims to strengthen collaboration, build market confidence and mobilise capital for climate finance and sustainable development, with discussions focused on enabling policies, market access, investment, partnerships and high-integrity carbon credits.
Participants are also examining how to turn promising climate projects into bankable opportunities while ensuring carbon markets deliver tangible benefits for African communities.
Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, called for market infrastructure that connects buyers with farmers and ensures value reaches communities.
“Together, let us build the market infrastructure that connects buyers to farmers, ensures value reaches its rightful hands, and empowers those who feed tomorrow to live with dignity today,” Gomera said.
The summit is also calling for stronger African collaboration and a unified voice in global carbon-market discussions to develop markets that reflect the continent’s priorities and deliver measurable benefits for its people.
