The Loveworld Trade & Investment Forum (LTIF) is returning for its second edition in Accra, Ghana, on October 6–7, 2026, with free attendance, aiming to tackle the persistent gap between Africa's millions of small businesses and their minimal contribution to cross-border trade.
Nigeria has about 41.5 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), according to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). These businesses account for nearly half of the country's GDP and over 80% of all jobs, yet their contribution to Nigeria's exports was just 6.21% as of 2021, SMEDAN said. In Ghana, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported in 2024 that the country had 1.87 million business establishments, almost three times the 638,235 recorded a decade earlier. About 92.3% of these operate informally, and micro-enterprises alone employ 2.89 million people. However, about 70% of businesses earn less than GH¢10,000 ($900) a year, and only 0.01% bring in more than GH¢1 million ($86,000) in revenue.
Why the Forum Moved from Lagos to Accra
The decision to move LTIF from Lagos to Accra is driven by the recognition that small businesses in both countries face similar challenges: they lack the capacity to produce consistently, price accurately, understand cross-border markets, manage cash and inventory, meet production standards, navigate trade requirements, and attract capital. The forum aims to address these practical barriers rather than simply match buyers with sellers.
Accra is home to the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), making it a natural West African setting for discussions on what it takes for African businesses to trade beyond their home markets. Afreximbank has repeatedly identified trade finance, industrialisation, value addition, and stronger regional supply chains as important pieces of the puzzle.
First Edition Highlights and Key Speakers
The first LTIF, held in Lagos in November 2025, brought together over 1,500 business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs, with more than 20 speakers. Among them were Joshua Chibueze, chief marketing officer of Nigerian fintech startup PiggyVest; Richmond Bassey, chief executive officer of Nigerian retail investing platform Bamboo; Olu Oyinsan, managing partner at venture capital firm Oui Capital; Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti, chief executive officer of women-focused fintech HerEconomy; and Charles Odii, director general of SMEDAN.
The first edition served as a test of whether a forum built around production, investment, trade, and business growth—aligned with Kingdom mandates—could bring different parts of the business ecosystem into the same conversation, according to the organisers. The next test is Accra.
Programme and Registration Details
The two-day programme will feature keynotes, fireside conversations, panels, workshops, and business exhibitions, bringing together entrepreneurs, SMEs, founders, investors, policymakers, and corporate leaders around production, trade, investment, and economic transformation. The aim is to put the right questions, people, investors, and businesses in the same room—and make that room accessible for small business owners.
Attendance is free, with registration required. The event takes place at the Ohene Konadu Auditorium, University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Ghana. Registration and exhibition tours begin at 9 am, with sessions starting at 10 am. Interested participants can register at ltifevent.com or contact ltifevent2026@gmail.com for enquiries.
The forum is convened by the Ministry of Commerce, Loveworld Kingdom, which leads the Kingdom's economic agenda. Its mandate is to support economic growth, support industrialisation, and advance the Kingdom's message through trade and commerce. Through its Department of Commerce Programs & Events, it organises forums and activation programmes, including the Loveworld Economic Summit, the Loveworld Global Trade & Commerce Activation Program, and the Loveworld Trade & Investment Forum (LTIF).
LTIF 2026 aims to make the journey from Lagos to Accra—and eventually from Accra to anywhere else in Africa—less difficult for small businesses, addressing the practical barriers that prevent millions of African enterprises from scaling across borders.
