African Futures Conference 2025: Insight, Imagination, Action

The African Futures Conference is the continent’s premier platform to explore and amplify African-led foresight.

The African Futures Conference is the continent’s premier platform to explore and amplify African-led foresight. In 2025, we invite policymakers, analysts, researchers, young changemakers, and foresight practitioners to engage in two days of bold thinking, rigorous analysis and practical collaboration.

The theme Insight, Imagination, Action reflects our belief that sustainable African futures must be grounded in credible evidence, fueled by visionary creativity and translated into meaningful impact.

This year’s event will include:

• The launch of the Africa 2043 Futures Report
• Exciting speakers from across the continent
• Curated sessions on Africa’s future
• A hands-on rotating Futures Lab
• Young changemakers competition

Conference objectives

The conference aims to strengthen African foresight and long-term planning capacity by showcasing practical examples, innovative tools and inclusive narratives that bridge the gap between quantitative and qualitative methods. It will highlight how strategic insight can lead to real-world impact by showing tools, stories and partnerships that translate ideas into action. The event will also elevate the voices of African changemakers and explore effective strategies to connect researchers and policymakers for greater influence on decision-making. This year's conference will also be the start of developing the African Futures Network (AFN) of trusted collaborators.

Call for contributions: share your ideas!

We are seeking proposals for talks, sessions, creative showcases or tools that fit within one or more of our three conference pillars:

1. Insight: Grounding African futures in evidence and analysis

• Explore emerging development trends using data and modelling
• Share cutting-edge data and modelling that inform long-term African development
• Reflect on the use and limitations of African data for foresight
• Explore innovations in strategic planning and quantitative forecasting

2. Imagination: Envisioning futures through creative storytelling

• Share projects or campaigns that inspire new narratives about Africa’s future
• Showcase participatory scenario-building or public imagination exercises
• Explore how storytelling drives change
• Link imaginative foresight to real-world values and aspirations

3. Action: Embedding foresight in policy, governance and practice

• Share lessons from applying foresight in African governance or policy space
• Highlight real-world foresight applications in national plans or reforms
• Explore lessons from failed/stalled foresight initiatives
• Offer practical tools or institutional pathways for long-term integration

Additional: Young changemakers competition

We are offering young (below the age of 35) the opportunity to submit innovative and creative contributions. Submit and share your vision of Africa’s future in 2050.

• Format: 1 500-word written story (Word or PDF) or 3-minute video (MP4)
• Prize: Top 3 winners invited to attend in-person in Pretoria

Submission formats

• Lightning talk (7min)
• Presentation (15min)
• Workshop (45min)

Who should apply?

Policymakers, researchers, data scientists, civil society leaders, young changemakers, and anyone building Africa’s future through foresight.

How to apply

Submit via our online form by Tuesday, 26 August 2025 with:

• Name, affiliation and contact details
• Preferred format: Lightning talk / Presentation / Hosted workshop / Changemakers submission
• Which pillar(s) does/do your contribution fit: Insight/Imagination/Action
• Title and abstract (max 300 words)

Key dates

• Deadline for submissions: 26 August 2025
• Notification of acceptance: 10 September 2025
• Conference dates: 21–22 October 2025

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