The LSE Africa Summit is an annual two-day conference that showcases Africa’s contributions to the world.

The LSE Africa Summit is a platform to engage and explore cutting edge research and business trends across Africa's rapidly changing socio-economic environment. Now in its fourth year, the event is divided into a research conference, where academics and researchers will present recent research findings, followed by a business conference featuring senior government officials and leading entrepreneurs leading current developments across the continent.

The 2017 theme, "Built for Africa: African Solutions to African Issues" will highlight African solutions to pressing issues facing the continent.

Research Conference:
The research conference will be held in London on March 31, 2017. The conference will bring together top-tier researchers from around the world and high-level policymakers to advance dialogue on Africa’s developmental issues. It is intended to improve the feedback loop between researchers who produce knowledge and policymakers who rely on policy relevant and timely evidence-based research to make decisions. The conference will be feature parallel sessions based on contributed papers and projected presentations. These will be complemented by debates and keynote speeches by renowned speakers from academia, government, and practitioners. The conference will conclude with a policy round-table session focused on distilling core messages for a policy-focused audience.

The Research Conference will include the following panels and workshops:

• Training Workshop: research transparency
• Reinventing Africa's educational systems
• Law and development
• Harnessing Africa's informal sector
• Inno-native design
• Security and justice

Business Conference:

The Business Conference will be held in London on April 1, 2017, and include the following panels and workshops:

• Rethinking africa's trade policies
• Bridging africa's financing gap
• Improving africa's service economy
• Philanthropy and inequality

Keynote speakers:

Isabel Dos Santos
Isabel Dos Santos is an Angolan investor, considered by Forbes to be Africa's richest woman. She was an engineering student at the King’s College, London, and after graduation, she started her career as a businesswoman by opening one of the first beach restaurants and night clubs in Luanda. Isabel has since become one of the most influential businesswomen of her time. At present, she is the board member of a number of companies in Portugal and Angola.

Ibukun Awosika
Mrs. Ibukun Awosika is the founder and CEO of The Chair Centre Group. With high interest in social issues including women, Ibukun is a co-founder and past chairperson of Women in Business, Management, and Public Service (WIMBIZ). A multiple award-winning entrepreneur, and the First Nigerian recipient of the prestigious International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge Award (IWEC) as a nominee of the US Department of State in 2008.