In brief
On November 9, 2026, financial experts from 36 African nations gathered in Kampala for the Africa Financial Intelligence Summit 2026. The five-day meeting sought to enhance real-time cooperation, cyber resilience, and advanced analytics to trace, freeze, seize and recover illicit proceeds. Ugandan Finance Minister Henry Musasizi urged African‑wide institutional strengthening and the deployment of AI and blockchain tools to safeguard the continent’s financial future.
KAMPALA, Uganda — On Monday, November 9, 2026, a group of financial experts representing 36 African countries convened in Uganda’s capital for a five‑day summit aimed at cutting back the growing threat of illicit financial flows.
Dubbed the Africa Financial Intelligence Summit 2026, the gathering adopted the theme “Securing Africa’s Financial Future: Intelligence, Innovation and Integrated Enforcement in an Era of Borderless Financial Crime.” Delegates included representatives of financial intelligence units, law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities, forensic investigators and international partners.
Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Henry Musasizi opened the summit by underscoring how fast‑moving digital finance, fintech platforms, virtual assets and complex cross‑border transactions have magnified the scale, speed and sophistication of financial crime across the continent. He called on African states to strengthen real‑time cooperation among financial‑intelligence units and highlighted the need to bolster technological and cyber resilience.
"Let this Summit strengthen our institutions, sharpen our intelligence, deepen our cooperation and ensure that Africa’s financial systems increasingly work for Africa’s development,"
Musasizi added that illicit proceeds must be traced, frozen, seized and recovered for the benefit of African economies and their citizens. He further urged the deployment of advanced capabilities in artificial intelligence, blockchain analytics, and cyber-digital forensics as part of that strategy.
Key Themes and Focus
Throughout the conference, sessions highlighted how real‑time data sharing can break down cross‑border borders and how analytics can reveal hidden patterns in money flows. Experts discussed the role of AI in sifting through large data sets to detect suspicious transactions and the growing importance of blockchain analytics in tracking the movement of digital assets. Cyber‑resilience workshops addressed how to protect financial infrastructures from hacking attempts that could facilitate money laundering.
As the summit progressed, participants explored mechanisms for joint enforcement actions, including coordinated freezes and coordinated seizures. They also examined recovery strategies designed to return illicit proceeds back to the economies of the originating countries. The summit concluded with a joint statement calling for deeper cooperation and a shared commitment to turning financial systems into tools that promote sustainable development on the continent.