Events

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain central to South Africa's economic growth, job creation and economic transformation agenda. However, many Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) encounter significant challenges when attempting to scale beyond early-stage growth, secure procurement opportunities, access finance and remain competitive in an evolving business landscape.

The inaugural QSE Business Summit 2026, hosted by The Drive Network Future Leaders NPC, has been designed to address these challenges by bringing together business leaders, procurement executives, financial

Connecting African Exporters and Service Providers to Global Markets

ENGAGE Trade Africa (ETA) and ENGAGE Services Africa (ESA) are leading business-to-business (B2B) trade engagement platforms designed to connect African producers, exporters and service providers with international buyers, sourcing partners, corporates, governments, development agencies and investors.

The platforms provide structured market access opportunities through curated B2B matchmaking, strategic networking engagements, sector-focused roundtables and partnership-building sessions aimed at facilitating international

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) invites South African exporters, manufacturers and industrial businesses to participate in the 9th SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW 2026), taking place from 27–31 July 2026 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Organised as a flagship regional industrial development platform, SIW 2026 will be held alongside the 46th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit and will bring together governments, investors, development finance institutions, policymakers, industry leaders, SMEs, academia and strategic partners from across the Southern African

The Tropics Summit & Countries Showcase is Africa's premier platform for policymakers, industry leaders, investors, CEOs, entrepreneurs, academics, development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, startups, and the African economic diaspora. This gathering is designed for those aiming to drive sustainable investment, foster alliances, tap into new growth sectors, and champion Africa’s strategic role under South Africa’s G20 Presidency.​

Event Focus and Goals

The 9th annual Tropics Summit focuses on:

• Accelerating regional integration and intra-African trade.​
• Facilitating multilateral