Centre Director to host panel discussion at ASBF 2025

The Director of the NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies Amit Jain will host a key panel discussion at the Africa Singapore Business Forum (ASBF). The discussion titled ‘Unlocking Africa’s Consumer Potential’ will take place on 26 Aug and will feature Haresh Aswani, Chief Executive of Tolaram Africa - the Nigeria-focused food-to-infrastructure conglomerate; Low Yaoyang, Managing Director of Ezra, a Singapore-based fintech firm that uses non-conventional scoring algorithms (AI) to asses credit-worthiness of small and medium African enterprises; and Lionel Chatelet the Chief Commercial Officer of the Singapore-based shipping line PIL, which runs one of the biggest fleet of cargo vessels between West Africa and China.

There are 185 million people in Africa who spend anything between US$3-5 per day on everyday consumer goods like toothpaste, soap, detergents, clothes and food. Consumer spending has been growing at compounded rate of growth of nearly 4% per annum since 2010 and it is estimated that almost 300 million African have some sort of discretionary spending capacity even if it is for necessities. Half of these consumers live in cities. Most of them are young. The choices these young consumers make determine what is bought and sold in the markets of Africa.

Organised biennially by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), the eighth edition of the Africa Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) will be held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Singapore from 26 – 28 August 2025. The forum will discuss Africa’s economic potential given Africa’s young population, growing middle class, and rapid urbanisation. Over 700 business and government leaders from Singapore, Asia and across Africa are expected to attend.

The NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies is the official knowledge partner for the event. For more information please click here.