Dubai Hosts Two Major African Events In October: The International Woman Leadership Conference And African Marketplace Dubai 2026
Dubai’s October calendar carries two of the year’s most significant African platforms. The International Woman Leadership Conference (TIWLC) opens the month from October 7 to 9 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, followed immediately by African Marketplace (AMP) Dubai 2026, the continent’s leading trade and cultural showcase, from October 10 to 12 at the Conrad Hotel Dubai.Now marking its fifth anniversary, TIWLC brings senior women leaders together for keynote addresses from global thought leaders, executive and leadership masterclasses, and curated networking, alongside honest conversations that move beyond career into life, balance and purpose. The conference draws a diverse international audience spanning Africa, the GCC, Europe and North America, closing with the signature TIWLC Gala Night celebrating culture, excellence and sisterhood. For 2026, the conference is intentionally widening that reach, expanding beyond its core Pan-African network to include women leaders from across the broader EMEA region, its widest yet.Every TIWLC delegate gets access to African Marketplace (AMP) Dubai 2026, giving attendees the option to move from three days of leadership programming directly into three days of trade and commerce in the same city. TIWLC brings together the most inspiring women leaders on the global stage; AMP brings together the most ambitious African and Caribbean businesses, buyers and investors in the world. The two events run back-to-back in the same city, so for TIWLC attendees, it’s one trip, two events in Dubai.African Marketplace returns for its second edition following a well received 2025 debut that brought over 100 African and Caribbean brands to Dubai. This year already carries a confirmed lineup of exhibitors, showcasing some of the finest products and services from Africa and the Caribbean across fashion, furniture, art, cuisine, technology, wellness and intellectual capital. Exhibitor registration remains open, with organisers projecting over 100 exhibitors from over 20 countries and upward of 4,000 attendees, including buyers, investors, trade institutions, policymakers and government delegations.Selected exhibitors also receive editorial spotlights, interviews and campaign content through AMP’s media partners, extending the marketplace’s reach beyond the exhibition floor itself. Running alongside the exhibition floor is a Talent Showcase for creatives, an open, no-cost activation for African and Caribbean performers, speakers and podcasters across the three days.African Marketplace (AMP) Dubai 2026 runs in official partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), TVC Communications, and backing from Aruwa Capital, Fashion Souk Global, Pan-African Voices and Naijaprenuer.Positioned back-to-back under the Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy (IALA), TIWLC, and African Marketplace (AMP) Dubai 2026 gives Dubai’s October a deliberate shape: a week that moves Africa’s leading women from the conference room to the commercial floor, and hands African and Caribbean exhibitors an audience built on influence, not just numbers.Exhibitor applications are open at theafricanmarketplace.org/exhibit. Media and sponsorship inquiries can be directed to info@theafricanmarketplace.org.
About The Author
