Cape Town, South Africa — The International Association of Business Communicators Africa Region (IABC Africa), Africa’s leading business communication association, has partnered with the African Union (AU) and AUDA-NEPAD for the 2026 IABC Africa Conference. The event will be held on 21–23 October 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. This partnership unites two leading pan-African organisations with a shared mission: advancing Africa’s development through innovative and strategic communication.


The 2026 IABC Africa Conference is the continent’s premier gathering for communication professionals. It will bring together senior leaders from business, government, development, academia, and civil society. The conference offers a highprofile platform to shape and amplify Africa’s story at a time of rapid transformation.


Attendees will engage in thought leadership discussions on communicating Africa’s development agenda and explore how professional, ethical, and effective communication drives trust, influence, and impact. “This partnership highlights the crucial role of communication in shaping Africa’s future,” said Dr Adeyemi Opeyemi, Chair of IABC Africa.

“Working with the AU and AUDA-NEPAD strengthens the link between policy, development, and the professionals in the public and private sectors telling Africa’s story with clarity and credibility.” Commenting on the partnership, Zipporah Maubane, Head of Communications and Advocacy at AUDA-NEPAD explains "Achieving the ambitions of Agenda 2063 is a shared responsibility and strategic communication is fundamental to building a shared understanding, strengthening trust and mobilising collective action.


Through our partnership with IABC Africa, we look forward to engaging communication professionals from across the continent to explore how effective communication can accelerate Africa's development priorities and ensure our stories, innovations and progress resonate both within Africa and around the world."


The African Union and AUDA-NEPAD will play a key role, providing keynote speakers, leading high-level dialogues, and contributing into session themes focused on sharing Agenda 2063 priorities such as youth development, climate resilience, digital transformation, and health systems.


The 2026 conference marks the first regional event of its kind in more than a decade and reinforces IABC Africa's commitment to raising the standard of strategic communication across Africa. In an era defined by artificial intelligence, rapidly evolving social platforms and changing stakeholder expectations, the conference will help communication professionals build globally relevant skills, embrace emerging technologies and position themselves to lead the future of the profession. 

More details on the conference programme and partnership activities will be announced in the coming months. Visit www.iabc.co.za for updates.