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Dangote Calls on Africa to Keep its Capital at Home as Industrialization Takes Center Stage at Unstoppable Africa

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African business leaders call for a bigger share of the continent’s growth, with investment and local value creation high on the agenda.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Africa must stop sending its capital abroad and start investing in its own industrial future, Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group, told global business leaders at Unstoppable Africa 2026, as he set out an ambitious vision for African industrialization backed by billions of dollars in investment, new refining capacity, and broader public ownership. 

Pointing to Asia’s economic rise, he argued that Africa cannot build comparable industrial strength while its own money continues to flow into foreign banks and markets. Emphasizing the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in creating the scale required for major industrial projects, he noted, “We must believe in our continent,” urging businesses to stay focused despite the challenges involved in building major organizations in Africa. “Once you start, it gets easier. But the more you don’t do anything, it becomes difficult.” 

With more than 3,000 African and global business leaders and heads of state gathered for the two-day forum in New York, Unstoppable Africa 2026 demonstrated the scale of global interest in Africa’s economic opportunities and the appetite for stronger commercial partnerships with the continent. 

Another notable highlight was the South African Business Initiative for Impact (SABII), which brought South Africa’s business, investment, and partnership proposition into sharper focus. Discussions explored how local opportunities can connect with global capital and translate into tangible economic impact. 

Zeine Zeidane, Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund, highlighted the importance of structural reforms, stronger domestic financial markets, and wider African markets through AfCFTA in attracting private investment. 

The discussions also turned to the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy. Olugbenga Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave, highlighted the opportunity presented by Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, pointing to digital payments, AI, and other technologies that can help businesses access markets and grow. 

Elly Savatia, Founder and CEO of Signverse, highlighted technology’s potential to expand inclusion through African sign languages. With $2 million in Google funding, Signverse has developed the largest publicly documented dataset for an African sign language to date and is building a framework that can expand to multiple local sign languages. 

In the sporting arena, H.E. Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of Namibia, signed a partnership agreement between the Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Foundation (NNN Foundation) and the Queens of the Continent Foundation (QoTC), founded by two-time WNBA All-Star and ESPN host Chiney Ogwumike. The landmark partnership will explore opportunities to support the empowerment and development of young people in Namibia, with a particular focus on girls and young women.

African creative industries take their place on the global stage 

The creative economy was another major focus, with speakers highlighting the growing ability of African brands, filmmakers, and technology innovators to build global audiences and markets. 

Khanyi Mashimbiye, Manager, Creatives at Afreximbank, highlighted the Afreximbank CANEX program, which connects African fashion brands with international buyers through Tranoï in Paris and Japan and Coterie in New York. Since 2022, the initiative has secured more than 120 offtake agreements, with Zimbabwean brand Vanu Vanwerk now selling in more than 50 stores globally. 

Closing the forum, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed said, “We are entering a new age of technology and AI that will fundamentally shape the future, and Africa has a tremendous opportunity to leapfrog. Just as industrialisation transformed economies and created new forms of work, AI can open new pathways for growth, innovation and opportunity. Africa has the talent and the ideas. What we need is the opportunity, infrastructure and investment to deploy them at scale. This is a moment for Africa to shape its own AI story, combining the continent’s talent with the technology and infrastructure needed to build the future.”

As the conversations concluded, the focus turned to the practical work ahead: translating Africa’s investment momentum into initiatives that can deliver growth, jobs, and lasting economic value.

For event photos, visit HERE. For speakers’ video soundbites and highlights, visit HERE. The entire event can be viewed on Unstoppable Africa YouTube channel.

For more about GABI please visit the website gabi.unglobalcompact.org

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Valmet supplies a complete board making line for efficient premium-quality coated board production in Asia

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September 23, 2026

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Valmet Oyj’s press release on September 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EEST

ESPOO, Finland, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Valmet has been selected to supply a coated board making line, automation, and lifecycle services to a customer in Asia. The new line will produce premium-quality coated board grades and support the customer’s targets to strengthen their position as a leading producer in their field. The delivery will support the customer’s unique know-how and enable them to reach new levels of combined quality and production efficiency. The start-up of the machine is scheduled for 2028.

“Customers are increasingly looking for solutions that combine high product quality, production efficiency, and long-term performance. By combining advanced board making technologies, automation, and lifecycle services into one integrated delivery, we can support reliable operations and efficient production of premium-quality coated board while ensuring sustainable performance throughout the lifecycle of their investment. Valmet’s earlier deliveries of similar production lines to Asia region rank among the highest productivity and quality benchmarks in the area,” says Markus Veikkola, Sales Director, China and Asia Pacific, Packaging and Paper Machines, Valmet.

The extensive board line order includes stock preparation and a complete board machine from headboxes to reel and winders. The consistent lifecycle performance of the machine is secured with automation, digital services, and paper machine clothing and spare parts packages.

The order is included in Valmet’s orders received for the third quarter of 2026. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

VALMET 
Corporate Communications 

Further information:
Petri Paukkunen, Vice President, Packaging and Paper Machines, Packaging and Paper Business Area, Valmet, tel. +358 40 744 8182
Petri Rasinmäki, Executive Vice President, Packaging and Paper Business Area, Valmet, tel. +358 10 672 0000 (switchboard)

Valmet is a global technology leader in serving process industries. We work with our customers throughout the lifecycle, delivering cutting-edge technologies and services, as well as mission-critical automation and flow control solutions. Backed by more than 225 years of industrial experience and a global team of 18,500 professionals close to customers, we are uniquely positioned to transform industries toward a regenerative tomorrow.In 2025, Valmet’s net sales totaled approximately EUR 5.2 billion. Our head office is in Espoo, Finland, and we have experts in approximately 40 countries around the world. Valmet’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

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Temu Expands Seller Education with Bureau Veritas, QIMA and TÜV SÜD

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September 23, 2026

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DUBLIN, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Temu is expanding its seller education programs in collaboration with eight global product testing and certification organizations, including Bureau Veritas, QIMA and TÜV SÜD. The courses help sellers on Temu understand the product safety and certification requirements that apply to their products and markets.

The training courses give sellers direct access to independent specialists who explain how regulatory requirements apply to their products. Sellers also have testing and certification support available to them on the platform.

The courses are livestreamed through the Temu Seller Academy. Sessions held in August recorded more than 4,000 views by sellers in total and over 2,000 interactions. For example:

Bureau Veritas provided an overview of European toy safety requirements, including regulatory updates, labeling rules and physical and chemical risks.TÜV SÜD covered testing and certification requirements for children’s toys in Europe and the United States, focusing on risk mitigation through product design and material selection.

The August program also included a session led by SPEAC, an EU-funded product safety project, on the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and practical requirements for online sellers.

Upcoming sessions will cover electronics, textiles, footwear, cosmetics and food-contact materials.

“Every new market brings fresh obligations, from product safety rules to testing and certification,” said a Temu spokesperson. “By organizing these training sessions with industry leaders, we give sellers direct access to specialists and practical information they can apply to their own operations and products.”

Temu held more than 100 meetings with trade associations, chambers of commerce and start-up networks in Europe in the first half of 2026 to understand the difficulties small businesses face in selling online. The practical demands of selling in multiple markets came up consistently, and that feedback informs Temu’s broader support for sellers.

The seller education programs form part of this support, alongside dedicated onboarding teams that provide continued guidance through Temu’s Local Seller Program. Sellers can also connect their existing business software to Temu through more than 200 ERP integrations and access a network of more than 150 delivery providers across Europe, including DHL Group and La Poste.

Temu is deepening its engagement with Europe’s business communities, and has signed memorandums of understanding with Start:up Slovenia, Portugal’s APDC, Cyprus’s CITEA and Switzerland’s SKV to contribute to knowledge-sharing. Temu has also joined Cross-Border Commerce Europe to participate in EU dialogue on cross-border e-commerce.

About Temu

Temu is a global e-commerce platform connecting consumers with millions of manufacturers, brands and business partners. Operating in more than 90 markets worldwide, Temu is committed to providing affordable, high-quality products that enable customers to live better lives.

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TK Elevator Launches MAX in Vietnam to Maximize Elevator and Escalator Uptime

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September 23, 2026

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TK Elevator Vietnam announces the launch of MAX cloud-based IoT building operations platform to improve operational efficiency and support smarter building management.MAX is designed to streamline operations and increase uptime through analyzing real-time data from connected elevators, escalators and moving walks  MAX enables actionable insights and predictive maintenance that can reduce downtime by up to 50%.

HANOI, Vietnam, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TK Elevator, one of the market and innovation leaders in the elevator industry, is pleased to announce the launch of its flagship building operations platform MAX in Vietnam. MAX is an IoT platform that harnesses cloud computing, big data and machine learning to improve operational efficiency and support smarter building management. MAX brings cloud-based maintenance data and insights to building operations enabling actions such as monitoring, control and predictive maintenance. In turn this creates additional value for building owners, property managers and maintenance personnel by offering more streamlined operations and increased availability of vertical mobility systems.

TK Elevator’s all-encompassing digital solutions consist of MAX and AGILE platforms, catering for the needs of building operations and people experience respectively. Digital Maintenance will be launched in the Asia Pacific region as the flagship product of the MAX range. As economic growth and infrastructural development continue in Vietnam, MAX enables optimal customer service for building operators and managers by analyzing real-time data from connected elevators, escalators and moving walks. Leveraging the availability of real-time status of elevators and escalators, property managers and maintenance personnel can easily manage the entire property through one comprehensive platform, taking full advantage of predictive and digital maintenance brought by MAX.

“With MAX, our innovative cloud-based predictive maintenance solution, TK Elevator is advancing the digitization of vertical mobility systems. Together with AGILE, our digital passenger experience platform that enables intelligent destination control and optimized passenger flow, MAX helps customers leverage real-time insights to improve reliability, transparency and operational efficiency. As Vietnam accelerates its digital transformation, our ambition is to set a new benchmark for service excellence and digital building operations,” said Diem Huynh, Managing Director, Vietnam & Cambodia, TK Elevator.

MAX is the ideal building operations solution for elevator and escalator operators of all scales, proven to reduce downtime by up to 50%. From standalone TKE elevators in residential buildings to hundreds of units newly installed or modernized by TKE in commercial facilities or infrastructure projects, adding MAX new or as retrofits provide property owners and managers with additional operation and maintenance insights through its MAX premium package.

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