Africa Talks is a high-profile event series that informs and transforms global debates, inspiring new perceptions of the continent. Giving a platform to Africa's pre-eminent thinkers and practitioners across academia, politics, business and activism, speakers present forward-thinking ideas to address contemporary global challenges.
As the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa's flagship event series, Africa Talks predates the Institute itself, symbolising the long tradition of engagement between the London School of Economics and the African continent.
Each year, the FLIA holds three events as part of the series. Topics are judiciously selected following comprehensive consultations and are always pertinent to Africa, with the objective of engaging leading experts across different spaces and sparking ground-breaking conversations.
Held on the LSE campus and online, Africa Talks provides the opportunity to engage African audiences within the continent and across the diaspora, creating a global community that shares our goals of generating a more sustainable environment for Africa’s long-term prosperity.
Speakers
In recent years, Africa Talks has hosted many prominent speakers to discuss Africa's contemporary position within a global context: Dambisa Moyo (economist and author), Ibukun Awosika (chairman of First Bank of Nigeria), Ismail Ahmed (Founder of WorldRemit), Meaza Ashenafi (Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia), Genevieve Nnaji (film director and actress), Fadumo Dayib (first woman to run for President of Somalia), OBE Margaret Busby (publisher) and Professor Amina Mama (editor of Feminist Africa).
High-profile speakers in previous years have included Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (President of Ghana), John Mahama (former President of Ghana), Yemi Osibanjo (Vice-President of Nigeria), Joice Mujuru (former Vice-President of Zimbabwe) and Dr Donald Kaberuka (former president of the African Development Bank).
Hosted by the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa
This event invites leading global exerts to discuss how Africa can best adapt to climate change. It will explore priorities for different regions, assess the opportunities and challenges in current thinking and approaches, and ask how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected adaptation trajectories, including on issues around cooperation at regional and global levels.
Date: 3 November 2021
Time: 2pm-3:30pm GMT
Watch here
Hosted by the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa
This event builds on a conversation hosted last year which brought together high level speakers to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Africa's food security. More than a year later, what challenges and opportunities exist for the African continent?
Date: Tuesday 1 June 2021
Watch on YouTube
Hosted by the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa
This event examines the long history of feminist activism in Africa and its enduring impact on society from an intergenerational perspective. At this critical historic juncture, speakers interrogate current achievements and fault lines as well as the crucial future of African feminist activism.
Date: Thursday 12 November 2020
Platform: LSE Player
Watch on Facebook
Hosted by the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa, as a part of LSE Festival
Date: Saturday 7 March 2020
Time: 12:45pm - 14:00pm
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Theatre, LSE
Speakers: OBE Margaret Busby, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Angela Wachuka & Professor Karin Barber.
See here for more information.
Date: Thursday 16 January 2020
Time: 6.30pm–8.00pm
Venue: Wolfson Theatre, LSE
Speakers: Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Dr Wangui wa Goro, Dr Romina Istratii & Dr Sara Salam as chair.
If you are interested in becoming part of our open and issue-oriented debates, please follow this link or sign up to our mailing list
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or to keep up to date with our latest events, workshops and activities.