Connect with us
Anglostratits

Events

Intent HQ confirmed as Diamond Sponsor; Absa Bank as Platinum Sponsor & BEES joins as Gold Sponsor for Converge Africa 2026

Published

3 months ago

on

Converge Africa 2026

Converge Africa unites leaders across Retail and eCommerce, Digital Marketing, Payments and Fintech, Digital Security, and Fulfilment, Logistics and Last Mile for three days of strategy, technology and high value meeting introductions

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 2, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s digital commerce economy is growing fast, but not without friction. Fragmented retail, inconsistent data, complex payments, rising fraud risk and disconnected customer journeys continue to slow down scale for retailers, brands and marketplaces across the continent.

 

Converge Africa 2026 will place these challenges at the centre of its agenda, as the continent’s leading digital commerce, fintech and retail technology players gather from 4 to 6 May 2026 at the CTICC in Cape Town to define what frictionless, borderless and trusted digital trade should look like for Africa.

The event today confirms Intent HQ as Diamond Sponsor, Absa Bank as Platinum Sponsor, and BEES as Gold Sponsor, three organisations operating at different layers of the commerce stack, united by a common mission: enabling African businesses to trade smarter, faster and at scale.

Converge Africa unites leaders across Retail and eCommerce, Digital Marketing, Payments and Fintech, Digital Security, and Fulfilment, Logistics and Last Mile for three days of strategy, technology and high value meeting introductions.

 

The real challenge: turning African digital growth into profitable, scalable commerce

Across Africa, digital adoption is accelerating. Consumers are shopping online, mobile payments are mainstream, and informal retail is rapidly digitising. Yet many organisations are struggling to convert this growth into sustainable, profitable digital commerce.

Retailers battle with disconnected customer data and slow decision making.
Brands struggle to digitise fragmented trade networks.
Marketplaces face trust, fraud and cross border payment complexity.
Customers expect personalised, real time experiences without sacrificing privacy.

Converge Africa 2026 is designed to tackle these realities head on, bringing together the platforms, infrastructure and intelligence required to build the next generation of African digital commerce. Expect main stage keynotes, track led content, hands on workshops, an exhibition of market ready solutions, and structured networking to enable meaningful partnerships and tangible ROI.

It is within this context that Intent HQ, Absa Bank and BEES take centre stage.

 

“Scaling digital commerce in Africa requires more than a single solution, it requires intelligence, infrastructure and execution working together. Converge Africa brings that full commerce stack into one room. ” said Terry Southam, Group Director of Retail – Converge Africa.

 

Sponsor announcements and why they matter now

Intent HQ: powering real time, privacy first customer decisioning (Diamond Sponsor)

Intent HQ is the Human to AI Context Company that helps enterprises anticipate and activate real customer intent in real time, safely and at scale. Its flagship platform, IntentOne, sits between enterprise data estates and execution channels to orchestrate the moments that matter.

It detects intent signals, recommends next best actions, and activates decisions instantly across existing martech and experience stacks without replacing them. By combining always on data with on device Edge AI, Intent HQ delivers higher conversion, loyalty and lifetime value under strict privacy and security governance.

At Converge Africa, retailers and marketplaces will see live demos of IntentOne’s Customer Intent Engine, showing how to align engagement to true shopper readiness, improve decision velocity for promotions and service recovery, and prove measurable uplift with responsible AI. This speaks directly to the data fragmentation and personalisation challenges facing South African e commerce.

 

“We’re excited to return to Converge Africa to showcase our award-winning Agentic Customer AI. By understanding behavior and intent, we help brands deliver smarter, more inclusive digital services.”

Scaling digital commerce in Africa requires more than a single solution, it requires intelligence, infrastructure and execution working together

– Jonathan Woolf, Chief Revenue Officer, Intent HQ

 

Absa Bank: enabling trusted, scalable digital commerce (Platinum Sponsor)

Absa Bank is a leading pan African financial services group serving retail, business and corporate clients with acquiring, payments, embedded finance and risk solutions across the continent. Absa stands out by blending African insight, strong digital ambition, responsible banking, and human centred leadership to create real economic impact, not just financial results.

Absa’s presence underscores the centrality of secure, seamless payments to e commerce growth. Delegates can expect insights on cross border enablement, fraud and digital security, omnichannel merchant services, and the rails that support scalable digital trade, core to resolving payment complexity and trust deficits in South Africa’s online market.

 

BEES: digitising the retail value chain at scale (Gold Sponsor)

BEES is a global B2B digital commerce platform connecting FMCG brands with millions of independent retailers. Through a single app, retailers can order, pay, access promotions and insights, while suppliers unlock data driven route to market, trade activation and loyalty at scale.

BEES brings proven playbooks for digitising fragmented retail, which is critical in Africa’s mixed trade landscape. Delegates can expect practical sessions on retailer onboarding, in app merchandising, incentives, and how first party trade data can drive better demand planning, fulfilment and ROI for brands and distributors. This directly addresses the fragmentation and execution gaps holding back South African e commerce.

 

“BEES is a B2B digital commerce platform that elevates every interaction with our retailers from ordering to delivery. Powered by AI, it enables us to influence retailers more successfully, improve sales effectiveness, and deliver superior service, resulting in stronger performance.” – Representative BEES.

 

How Converge Africa 2026 addresses today’s pain points

Retail and eCommerce: Connecting channels and data to create seamless journeys and increase decision velocity at the point of need.
Digital Marketing: Operationalising real time intent to lift acquisition efficiency and lifetime value, while protecting privacy.
Payments and Fintech: Building trusted, scalable rails for omnichannel commerce, including cross border, risk and fraud controls.
Digital Security: Hardening the ecosystem against evolving threats with enterprise grade governance, identity and compliance.
Fulfilment, Logistics and Last Mile: Turning demand into on-time delivery through better planning, inventory visibility and execution.

 

About Converge

Africa Converge Africa is the continent’s leading platform for digital commerce leaders to connect, learn and grow. Held annually at the CTICC in Cape Town, the event convenes retailers and eCommerce brands, payments and fintech innovators, cybersecurity specialists, logistics and last-mile providers, and digital marketers to shape the future of Africa’s online economy.

Converge Africa 2026 4–6 May, CTICC, Cape Town

Frictionless digital commerce. Transacting seamlessly, without borders.

 

Registration & Sponsorship

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Business

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Successfully Concludes Private Sector Roadshow in Baku

Published

1 day ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Islamic Development Bank

Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, the Forum showcased IsDB Group services, activities, and initiatives across its 57 member countries, with particular emphasis on Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) affiliates (www.IsDB.org) – namely the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) – in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH), organized the “IsDB Group Private Sector Roadshow” in Baku, Azerbaijan, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO).

 

The high-profile event which took place on Thursday, 7th May 2026, at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy, came as part of ongoing preparations for the upcoming IsDB Group Annual Meetings and Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026), scheduled to take place from 16 to 19 June 2026, under the high patronage of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 

Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, the Forum showcased IsDB Group services, activities, and initiatives across its 57 member countries, with particular emphasis on Azerbaijan. It highlighted the Group’s ongoing support for private sector development and its efforts to stimulate promising investment and trade opportunities in the Azerbaijani market.

 

The event also served as a unique opportunity inviting the audience to participate actively in IsDB Group Annual Meetings and the Private Sector Forum (PSF 2026). The program included panel discussions and specialized workshops on ways to enhance economic partnerships and the role of IsDB Group’s institutions in supporting the needs of member countries. The spectra of services, solutions and financial tools were also presented, including lines and modes of Islamic financing, trade finance and trade development solutions, corporate private sector financing, as well as risk mitigation solutions plus investment insurance and export credit insurance services.

 

Keynote speakers, in their speeches, underlined strong commitment to deepening engagement with the private sector and fostering meaningful partnerships that drive sustainable economic growth in light of the upcoming IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku, all to showcase integrated solutions especially in Islamic finance, trade, investment, and risk mitigation while working closely and collectively with private sector partners to unlock new opportunities, support innovation, and empower businesses contributing to inclusive and resilient development across IsDB Group member countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group).

 

Continue Reading

Business

APO Group Named South Africa’s Best Public Relations & Media Consultancy Agency of the Year, 2025 – World Business Outlook Awards

Published

1 day ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

APO Group

Recognition marks third consecutive year of major industry honours, reinforcing sustained leadership in performance-driven communications across Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 7, 2026/APO Group/ –APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the pan-African communications and PR consultancy integrating advisory, execution, and proprietary news distribution, has been named Best Public Relations & Media Consultancy Agency of the Year South Africa 2025 at the World Business Outlook Awards.

This recognition affirms APO Group’s continued leadership in performance-driven communications and reflects the strength of an integrated model that delivers strategic advisory, execution, and guaranteed media visibility across Africa.

This recognition reflects the trust clients place in us to deliver communications strategies that are measurable, accountable and effective across Africa’s diverse markets

Part of the international World Business Outlook Awards programme, the award recognises organisations demonstrating excellence, innovation, and measurable impact in their respective sectors. For APO Group, it builds on a sustained record of performance, having won the same category in 2024, and scooping dual honours in 2023: Leading PR Firm Africa and Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa.

These consecutive wins reflect consistent delivery, market leadership, and growing recognition of APO Group’s differentiated approach to communications on the continent.

Operating across 54 African markets, APO Group has built an integrated communications model designed to replace fragmented approaches often associated with multi-market public relations, providing clients with the clarity, consistency, and control required to manage reputation and visibility at a continental scale.

“Our focus has always been on performance, not activity,” said Bas Wijne, Chief Executive Officer at APO Group. “This recognition reflects the trust clients place in us to deliver communications strategies that are measurable, accountable and effective across Africa’s diverse markets. It also reinforces our belief that integrated communications, when built around outcomes, can create real strategic advantage.”

APO Group’s model supports multinational companies, African institutions and development organisations seeking measurable results across complex, fast-evolving markets. By aligning advisory, execution and guaranteed visibility within a single system, the consultancy enables clients to achieve stronger narrative consistency, greater media impact and more controlled reputation outcomes.

As organisations increasingly seek communications partners capable of delivering both strategic counsel and executional certainty, APO Group continues to strengthen its position as a consultancy built for performance, designed for Africa, and trusted by organisations operating across the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Continue Reading

Energy

InterOil’s Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Silver Sponsorship Reflects Drive to Scale Logistics, Local Content

Published

1 day ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Energy Capital

Integrated logistics, local workforce development and offshore execution converge as Angola’s project pipeline expands

LUANDA, Angola, May 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Angolan oilfield services provider InterOil has joined the upcoming Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition as a Silver Sponsor, taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference on September 8. For over 21 years, InterOil has worked alongside international operators, playing a strategic role in maintaining stable and reliable offshore activities. It’s AOG sponsorship not only demonstrates a commitment to the growth of the industry, but positions the logistics and offshore support provider at the center of Angola’s next wave of deepwater and infrastructure-led projects.

InterOil’s sponsorship reflects a core reality in Angola’s hydrocarbon market: as projects become more complex and move into deeper waters, the ability to sustain operations through integrated logistics solutions is emerging as a defining constraint. The company’s model – combining onshore coordination with offshore execution – addresses this directly, ensuring continuity across high-intensity operations where downtime carries significant financial and technical risk.

Operating in a complex offshore environment, InterOil has built its track record around reliability and operational discipline. A key reference point is the Kaombo development in Block 32, operated by TotalEnergies. Since 2014, the company has supported the project through integrated onshore and offshore logistics, sustaining operations for both the FPSO Kaombo North and FPSO Kaombo South. The development remains one of Angola’s most technically complex offshore assets, and InterOil’s role in maintaining operational continuity underscores the importance of logistics providers in stabilizing production and ensuring efficiency at scale.

This operational focus is complemented by a long-term commitment to local content development. InterOil has prioritized the recruitment, training and advancement of Angolan professionals, embedding structured capacity-building and knowledge transfer into its operating model. In a market where local participation is both a regulatory requirement and a strategic imperative, this approach supports workforce development while reinforcing operational resilience.

As Angola seeks to sustain production above one million barrels per day by expanding infrastructure, accelerating offshore projects and deepening local participation across the value chain, the role of logistics providers is becoming more strategic. AOG 2026 provides a platform where these capabilities are integrated into broader project discussions, connecting operators, service providers and investors around execution as a core pillar of project success. InterOil’s participation underscores a broader industry shift: in Angola’s next phase of growth, operational delivery will carry as much weight as resource potential.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Trending