Securing Supply Chains & Emerging Markets
50 African industrial leaders. 30+ vetted U.S. buyers, investors, and offtakers. Two days. One objective: signed contracts.
Washington, D.C.
Strategic Partners
African manufacturers are export-ready. U.S. buyers need the supply. The AGOA framework for duty-free access exists. What has been missing is the room where both sides actually meet - and a structured plan that ensures the meeting becomes a contract.
AUGF 2026 connects Agribusiness, Critical Minerals, Energy & Power, and Digital Infrastructure directly to U.S. retail buyers, institutional investors, and infrastructure developers.
Organized by The Brief Academy (TBA Foundation) · Abuja, Nigeria · briefacademy.org
A high-density commercial sprint in Washington, D.C. Day One opens with an invitation-only DFC briefing, 1:1 sector meetings, and evening mixers. Day Two delivers keynote sessions, sector spotlights, and closed-door deal rooms.
August 11, 2026
An invitation-only briefing at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, followed by 1:1 sector spotlight meetings, the GWBCC President's Circle Executive Mixer, and an evening networking mixer for AUGF delegates.
August 12, 2026
WDCEP Engine Room. Closed-door term-sheet reviews for captive energy installations & mining joint ventures. African Energy Ministers meet U.S. PE firms, alongside sector spotlight sessions and structured investor networking throughout the day.
Every person in the room has a mandate to buy, invest, or supply. No spectators. No panels without purpose. Just structured execution toward signed contracts.
The New Infrastructure Mandate
Every seat is a working seat. 50 African industrial leaders. 30+ vetted U.S. buyers, investors, and regulatory officials.
Decentralized power grids, C&I solar, hyper-scale data centers, and solid minerals.
Value-added cocoa and gold infrastructure.
Iron ore joint ventures and sustainable mining.
Mobile-money rails, digital trade documentation, and scalable developer networks.
Cashew and cocoa processing for U.S. retail.
MSGBC basin gas assets, industrial energy parks, and Port of Dakar maritime logistics.
USDA & FDA officials. Compliance standards and market access.
DFC, SBA & EXIM Bank. Capital deployment mandates.
U.S. retail chain VPs with active sourcing needs.
African Ministers of Trade and Mining.
USTDA & DOE technical directors. Early-stage feasibility capital and project blueprints that unlock DFC & EXIM financing.
D.C.-circuit energy & tech executives with a track record of deploying live megawatts and fiber assets inside Africa's industrial corridors.
Every speaker at AUGF 2026 has a mandate: to buy, build, invest, or legislate. No panels without purpose.
Agribusiness · Maryland, USA
Entrepreneur · Philanthropist · Innovator
U.S. President's Lifetime Achievement Awardee
Founder & Owner, Clyopatra Winery & Vineyard, the first African immigrant-owned winery in the United States
Energy & Power · Washington D.C., USA
Founder & CEO, SynergyGrid LLC
Clean Energy & Building Technology Innovator
3x founder with 20+ years in construction management and renewable energy, delivering net-zero campuses, property-embedded microgrids, and AI-driven building systems
Digital Infrastructure · Washington D.C., USA
Founder, FinTech with MJ
Strategist & Innovation Leader
20+ years in financial services and technology, investing in intra-African startups and bridging regulatory and market gaps for inclusive fintech ecosystems
Energy & Critical Minerals · Kenya
Founder & CEO, Kasi Desert Circuit
Energy Infrastructure & Advanced Manufacturing
Building a 4.5 GWh LFP battery manufacturing facility and grid-scale storage platform to power Africa's energy transition through critical-mineral beneficiation
Trade & Investment Law · Washington D.C., USA
Founder & Managing Partner, Williams Global Law
Cross-Border Investment & Corporate Structuring
Represents international investors and governments in U.S. market entry, moving cross-border ventures from signed MOU to operating U.S. business
Investment & Trade · Washington D.C., USA
VP, International Business Attraction
Washington DC Economic Partnership
Leads the DC Global Soft Landing Program, guiding international companies as they establish their U.S. office presence in Washington, D.C.
Enterprise & Workforce · Jackson, MS, USA
Assistant Dean, College of Business
Jackson State University
Leads corporate engagement, workforce development, and industry partnerships connecting students to career and enterprise opportunities
Digital Infrastructure · Guinea & USA
VP of Corporate Relations, Guinea–U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Founder, Prosper With Us & COR Strategy
Co-creator of Guinea Fintech Week, advancing financial innovation and strategic partnerships across the U.S.–Africa corridor
Agribusiness · Cameroon
Founder & CEO, Center for Community Impact and Sustainability
Youth, Peace & Security Advocate
Convener of Sierra Leone's Local Conference of Youth and trained African Youth Climate Negotiator advancing climate justice and gender equality
Trade & Investment · Washington D.C., USA
Founder & CEO, Parlinum Consulting LLC
Board Director & Former KPMG Managing Director
Advises corporations on growth, strategy, and enterprise risk, guiding boards and C-suite executives across the U.S.–Africa corridor
Digital Infrastructure · Ethiopia
Co-Founder, Akababi
Marketing & Digital Lead, Africa FinTech Summit
Commercial strategist connecting global capital to opportunities across Africa in AI, digital infrastructure, and real estate investment
Government & Civic Leadership · Laurel, MD, USA
Mayor, City of Laurel, Maryland
Retired Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy
Elected Mayor in 2023 after three terms on City Council, following a 22-year career in law enforcement and military service across multiple overseas deployments
Economic Development · Washington D.C., USA
Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships
Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce
Over a decade of experience advancing business development, international trade, and economic opportunity for Black-owned businesses in Washington, D.C.
Government & Civic Leadership · Washington D.C., USA
Deputy Mayor's Office
Washington, D.C.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Deputy Mayor's Office, representing the District's commitment to strengthening Africa–U.S. commercial ties
Trade Finance & Export Credit · Washington D.C., USA
Export–Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)
Presenting on investment opportunities and U.S. export credit support for trade between Africa and the United States
AUGF 2026 is convened, partnered, and advised by a team dedicated to building lasting economic bridges between Africa and the United States.
Convener
Founder & CEO, The Brief Academy
Farida Yahya is a social entrepreneur and leader with over 14 years of experience across the beauty, media, community, and social development sectors. She served as the 11th President of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN), a network of young African leaders under the U.S. government's Young African Leaders Initiative. A 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow, 2x TEDx speaker, and published author, she has been recognized as one of Nigeria's 100 Most Inspiring Women and serves as a non-executive director at Republicom Group.
Partner
Director of Operations, Courtesy HealthCare Services
Ahmed Kalokoh is a proficient and thorough cybersecurity specialist with deep experience across information technology, systems, and networks, holding academic ties to the University of Maryland University College. He brings operational rigor and technical discipline to AUGF's partnership infrastructure, ensuring the Forum's systems and delegate data are managed to the highest standards of security and reliability.
Advisor
Managing Director, BGR Consulting
Habibah A. Waziri is a strategist building ecosystems at the intersection of people, purpose, and performance. As Managing Director of BGR Consulting, she serves as the operational engine room for multinational corporations and government entities across Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda. She is also Co-Founder of HERitage Collective, a platform transitioning African women's leadership into a bankable asset class, and currently represents Nigeria as Youth Envoy to the Developing-8.
Final Deadline: May 31, 2026
Custom packages available for government agencies & multi-sector sponsors
Delegate and speaker registration for AUGF 2026 has closed and the participant list is final. Packages below are shown for reference. For enquiries about the next Forum — April 16–17, 2027 — please contact us.
For all delegates requiring visa facilitation, we provide a dedicated administrative bridge.
Visa Support Fee: $1,000 (Non-refundable - covers formal institutional invitations and administrative coaching).
Payment Protocol: The $1,000 visa fee is paid upfront. Once the visa is successfully approved, the balance of the chosen package is paid before collection of the final mission itinerary.
Labeling, phytosanitary, and packaging alignment for USDA, FDA, and CBP. Every producer exits with a clear compliance checklist.
On-ground site visits across Africa. Bankability assessments, facility audits, and investor-grade project briefs.
Legal and commercial support moving MOUs to Purchase Orders or Joint Venture agreements.
Handshakes in August. Contracts by December.
Powering the Electron · Routing the Byte · Insulating the Trans-Atlantic Supply Chain
This is not charity. It is a commercial opportunity both sides need to get right. AUGF 2026 is where we put the structure, the people, and the time in the same room.
