The maiden edition of the African-Caribbean Franchise Exhibition (ACFE) 2025 has brought together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, trade associations, legal and global franchise experts to spotlight franchising as a transformative vehicle for economic development in Africa and the Caribbean.
The event, held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, at the weekend, was themed Driving African-Caribbean Product Market and Branding Expansion through Franchise Development, Alignment and Standardization, and featured panel discussions and franchise showcases from across both regions. Experts agreed on Africas underutilisation of the franchising model compared to other regions of the world, even as they expressed optimism that Africa can leapfrog the world if the challenges of underutilisation are addressed quickly.
The event, organised by the CEO Drawing Board under ACR Global, aimed at fostering franchising as a tool for global market expansion of African and Caribbean brands.
Speaking further on the rationale for the exhibition, President of ACR Global, Funmi Bajulaiye, said, ACFE 2025 seeks to position 100 brands as Fortune 500 contenders while leveraging cultural synergies between [Africa and the Caribbean].
According to Bajulaiye, Aside from being the best way to achieve profitable cultural exchange, create market access for local brands, and enjoy diverse efficiency and innovation feats, franchising has the potential to scale African entrepreneurship rapidly.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya, commended ACR Global for the initiative and for creating a platform for robust engagement between the public and private sectors to drive the franchising conversation.
Ms Shagaya expressed the governments commitment to providing the necessary support, through policies and regulations, for the development of a strong franchising ecosystem.
My office is working daily to provide entrepreneurs with smarter regulation, digital tools, and start-up friendly policies. She assured of government’s readiness to collaborate with key stakeholders in the franchising sector to ensure policy decisions are relevant and adequate.
Chairman of the exhibition and CEO of Arravo Technologies, Dr Ayo Adegboye, said franchising engagement is long overdue. Dr Adegboye said Africa lags the rest of the world in a knowledge-based economy.
According to him, to close that gap, Africa needs to adopt incremental decision-making, which will involve the development and deployment of homegrown technology. He further explained that a global trading platform for premium assets/franchises was launched by ACR Global in Partnership with Arravo Technologies.
CEO, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said considering the potential of franchising to boost government revenue and develop a strong SME sector, government should be driving the franchising conversation, while formulating adequate policies and regulations.
He said local brands must seek collaboration with foreign counterparts that have comparative technological or industrial advantages to strengthen local production.
Wincate Muthini, Senior Programme Manager, Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), who flew in from Kenya for the event, said sometimes Africans get stuck on possibilities and potential.
She urged stakeholders to go beyond that and take action. Muthini assured of PACCIs commitment to support initiatives such as the CEO Drawing Board that will put franchising on the front burner of Africas economic drive.
According to Wincate, there is a strong case for business collaboration across the African region to jointly develop products unique to Africa that can be exported to the rest of the world.
Founder, FRANDIS Forum, and a franchise development consultant, Tayo Adedugbe, said for franchising to succeed, local brands must first dream big, beyond their borders, and then ensure they build a strong and successful brand locally.
Experts at the plenary sessions highlighted the challenges in the franchising ecosystem in Africa, including a knowledge and capacity gap, poor branding and documentation, a lack of regulatory framework, trust deficit, legal uncertainty, infrastructure, and funding challenges.
They, however, agreed that events like ACFE are the first steps to closing the challenge gaps. Other partners of the ACFE are the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ti-elle Global, Badella Flavinho Limited, In Franchise, Nigeria South African Chamber of Commerce, Standard Chartered Bank, Delicious Treats Franchise Barbados and the Pan African Association of Small and Medium Industries.
The project is a 3-step approach from ACFE 2025, to a Franchise side event in Algeria at the IATF in September 2025 and opportunities for Biashara Policy advocacy in Lome. All stakeholders have pledged to build our home-grown franchises.
