IFN Africa Forum

About IFN Africa Forum

Hailed as the new frontier for Islamic finance, Africa – where a quarter of the world’s Muslim population call home – is a land fertile with opportunities.

In recent years, the continent has seen promising developments in the Islamic finance space: country and regional authorities are pushing for new regulations to facilitate Shariah compliant transactions; new financial institutions offering Islamic products are emerging; foreign banks are establishing African presence primarily to tap the Muslim population; and more African sovereigns are making their mark in the Sukuk space. It is truly an exciting time for Islamic finance in Africa!

On the back of this vibrant landscape, IFN is delighted to return to Africa again with the IFN Africa Forum 2018; this time in South Africa, one of the fastest growing Islamic finance markets in the region. Recognized as one of the leading Islamic finance event brands in the region, the IFN Africa Forum will gather leading market practitioners and regulators from across Africa to discuss and debate the most pressing issues of the industry.

IFN Africa Open Dialogue

With over 600 Muslims, multibillion dollar infrastructure needs, and a strong political will, it is no wonder Africa has transformed itself to become one of the most attractive emerging Islamic finance markets.

The region is hungry for new sources of funding to meet its deep development needs and is committed to its financial inclusion agenda, and these have spurred massive investment opportunities for Islamic investors globally, from the Middle East to Asia. With new regulations in the West, new players in the North, new products in East and activities in the South, developments have been promising and opportunities seem virtually limitless. But will these be enough for the continent to hold its position as a frontier of the industry?

Despite the promising progress experienced as a region, activities have been fragmented. Banking penetration remain stubbornly low, public awareness and appreciation for Shariah finance could be improved, and the region lack the expertise and human talent to drive the agenda forward.

On that note, IFN is proud to bring the highly-acclaimed IFN Dialogue series to Africa for the first time. The IFN Africa Open Dialogue will serve as an impartial, independent and influential platform for regulators and market players from across Africa to engage in a constructive, healthy and honest conversation about the real state of play of the industry in the region. Policymakers and market players will discuss the challenges and level of progress in Africa, explore new opportunities and more importantly, brainstorm for solutions and measures to move the industry forward.