NAIROBI, Kenya, March 31, 2026/APO Group: Afrobarometer is urging private-sector leaders and investors across Africa to integrate public attitude data into decision-making, as citizen perspectives are deemed inimical to building resilient, competitive, and future-ready enterprises.
This call came through strongly as Afrobarometer engaged business leaders, investors, policy makers, regulators, and innovators at the CEO Conclave and Investors Forum 2026 held in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum, convened by the Africa Asia Middle East Chamber of Commerce (AAMECC), brought together about 100 leaders from across the business ecosystem to explore opportunities for investment, innovation, and cross-border partnerships.
During the event, Afrobarometer unveiled data on economic and social conditions tailored for private-sector stakeholders and highlighted the role of citizens’ lived experiences and perceptions in shaping consumer behaviour, investment climates, and business performance.
“The environments in which you operate are shaped by the expectations, frustrations, resilience, and aspirations of people,” commented the chief operations officer for Afrobarometer, Felix Biga. “Citizen experiences and perceptions of economic conditions, trust in institutions, access to services, and lived realities all influence market behaviour, investment climates, and ultimately business success.”
Participants echoed the value of integrating citizen-centred data into business planning.
“As Africa emerges as a significant frontier for economic growth, those who lead will be organisations prioritising insights derived from robust data, particularly citizen-centred data,” added the president of AAMECC, Peter Mutinda.
“What is most important to me in business, especially when working with African partners, is starting with data, then building connections and cooperation, and only then moving into the details and country-specific specialisations,” said Pawel Zarzecki, an export manager at Bart, a health-focused manufacturer.
While Eve Mischeki, hailing from the Women in Business network, also underscored the relevance of the findings presented by Afrobarometer.
“As a woman in business, I see strong synergy with Afrobarometer’s data, particularly in the key priorities it highlights, which closely reflect the realities we navigate,” she said.
This engagement forms part of Afrobarometer’s broader effort to deepen collaboration with business leaders through a series of targeted dialogues aimed at increasing awareness of its data and co-creating solutions that respond to both business and societal priorities.
