Africa is no longer emerging—it is asserting itself as a vital engine of global economic growth. With 30% of the world’s critical minerals for clean technologies, 60% of the best solar resources, vast hydropower capacity, and 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa holds strategic assets essential for the future of energy, food, and digital industry. Its youthful population—already the world’s largest—combined with the fastest-growing digital economy and a globally influential creative sector, is redefining innovation, entrepreneurship, and market expansion on a global scale.

The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) is platform that convenes global leaders to unlock the continent’s business, trade, and investment potential. Its flagship investment event, “Unstoppable Africa” is held annually to coincide with the UN General Assembly in New York and galvanizes global private and public sector leaders to accelerate Africa’s investment opportunities.

From 2022 to 2024, Verbatim Virtual Solutions served as a strategic communications partner for the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), an initiative of the UN Global Compact led by the UN Deputy Secretary-General. Leveraging expertise in technical writing, discourse facilitation, and strategic communication, Verbatim delivered comprehensive rapporteur and documentation services, including narrative design, real-time reporting, and investment insights. This support helped establish GABI as a leading private-sector platform for African trade and investment.

Africa’s USD 3 trillion market opportunity remains largely unrealized. With a projected population of 2.5 billion by 2050, and the youngest global population—60% under 25—Africa offers a demographic and resource advantage the world cannot ignore. Yet, Africa still receives only 2% of global clean energy investment and is burdened by unjust financial systems and insincere perceptions of business risk.

GABI was launched to reframe that narrative. Each year, it convenes thousands of global investors, government leaders, CEOs, philanthropists, and creatives to explore Africa’s solutions to global challenges—positioning the continent as a center of gravity for clean energy, inclusive trade, digital innovation, creative economy growth, and sports infrastructure.

Verbatim’s Role: Crafting Narrative, Driving Credibility

Verbatim was engaged by the UN Global Compact to deliver real-time documentation, rapporteur services and analysis of GABI’s annual flagship convening—Unstoppable Africa—and its surrounding activities. Verbatim leverages its expertise, delivering high-quality analysis through a methodology that rigorously captures and communicates emerging ideas, solutions, and investment opportunities that emerge during the two days of discourse.

Our goal: to capture the high-level discourse, elevate key partnerships and announcements, and position Africa’s economic emergence as a strategic imperative for the world. Our work spanned:

• Real-time documentation of multi-stakeholder panels, keynote speeches, and sectoral roundtables
• Narrative design of GABI’s Executive Reports, combining strategic messaging with data and evidence
• Thematic investment briefs on Energy, Trade, Digital Transformation, Creative Industries, and Sports
• Content and messaging support aligned with GABI’s broader investment facilitation efforts

Verbatim’s methodology blends governance and economic growth expertise with storytelling and strategic communications. We supported GABI in curating a consistent, compelling narrative that resonates with global audiences while retaining grounded, evidence-based integrity.

Outcomes and Strategic Value

During our partnership, GABI has grown in stature—attracting over 4,000 participants in 2024 alone, including five Heads of State, over 600 global CEOs, and leaders from the oil and gas industry, finance, tech, sports, and culture. Our communication products were instrumental in:

• Positioning Africa as a market-driven solution space, not a site of perpetual crisis
• Shaping GABI’s long-term institutional voice, ensuring continuity across its three-year evolution
• Securing continued confidence in Africa’s investment narrative through rigorous storytelling and documentation

Over three years of partnership, Verbatim has consistently ensured that the nuance and strategic weight of each discussion is documented. By capturing real-time insights from panels, roundtables, and dealmaking sessions, our team transforms conversations into actionable intelligence. In 2024, for instance, Verbatim captured and contextualized major developments such as Google’s partnerships on digital transformation, Ghana’s $550 billion Energy Transition Plan, and the announcement of Africa’s first Digital Economic Zone by Itana.

Verbatim’s support to GABI demonstrates our core strengths: distilling complex, multi-stakeholder engagement into actionable insight; using communications as a lever for strategy and influence; and helping development platforms translate convenings into credibility, capital, and change. As ‘Unstoppable Africa’ takes its place as a permanent fixture in the global investment calendar, Verbatim’s role in shaping its message and maximizing its influence will be more critical than ever. In 2025, Verbatim stands ready to continue advancing GABI’s mission—to amplify Africa’s global position not through aid, but through business, investment, and opportunity.