By Kingsley Adegboye

The organisers of the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), have announced the launch of the AIHS Housing CEOs Forum, a high-level executive platform designed to bring together Africa’s most influential housing, finance, infrastructure, and urban development leaders to drive transformative solutions for the continent’s growing housing challenges.

The Forum, which will hold as part of the 20th anniversary edition of the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS @20 – Legacy Edition), is themed:

“Financing Africa’s Housing Transformation: Partnerships, Innovation and Sustainable Urban Growth.”

According to the organisers, the AIHS Housing CEOs Forum is aimed at elevating housing discussions beyond exhibitions and conferences into concrete investment, financing, policy, and partnership engagements capable of accelerating affordable housing delivery and sustainable urban growth across Africa.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the CEO of AIHS, Festus Adebayo, stated that Africa can no longer address its housing deficit through fragmented efforts, stressing that stronger collaboration among governments, private investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions, and housing stakeholders has become imperative.

He noted that the forum will serve as a premier platform for strategic dialogue, housing investment facilitation, public-private partnerships, policy engagement, deal-making, innovation showcase, and cross-border collaboration.

According to him, the platform is expected to convene over 500 high-level delegates including Ministers of Housing and Finance, Governors, CEOs of banks and mortgage institutions, real estate developers, pension fund administrators, infrastructure investors, development finance institutions, multilateral agencies, PropTech companies, urban planners, and global housing experts from over 20 countries.

The Forum will focus on critical areas shaping the future of Africa’s housing sector, including housing finance and mortgage expansion, affordable housing delivery, infrastructure financing, smart cities, green housing, technology innovation, land reforms, and public-private partnership frameworks.

Special sessions expected at the forum include the CEOs Roundtable, Housing Investment Marketplace, DFI & Investors Session, CEO Fireside Chats, Policy & Reform Dialogue, Innovation & PropTech Showcase, and the AIHS Housing Leadership Awards.

The organisers explained that the initiative is expected to unlock strategic housing investments, facilitate new partnerships, strengthen development finance engagement, improve policy dialogue, expand access to housing finance, and position Africa more competitively within the global housing investment ecosystem.

Festus Adebayo further emphasised that the forum seeks to reposition housing not merely as a social challenge, but as a major economic growth driver, job creation engine, financial market opportunity, and catalyst for sustainable urban development.

The AIHS Housing CEOs Forum will hold in Abuja, Nigeria, during the 20th Anniversary Edition of AIHS, which is expected to attract over 20,000 participants, more than 500 exhibitors, and delegates from over 20 countries.

The organisers have called on governments, investors, financial institutions, development partners, construction companies, urban development experts, and global stakeholders to participate in what is being described as one of Africa’s most strategic housing and urban development gatherings.