The Africa Real Estate Festival (AREF) is set to return in 2026 with an expanded vision aimed at reshaping how cities are planned, built, and experienced across Africa. The two-day event is scheduled for April 18–19, 2026, in Accra, under the theme: “Innovation Meets Identity: Designing Africa’s Next Living Experience – Positioning Real Estate as More Than Just Property.”
Speaking at the official press launch in Accra on Friday, January 16, 2026, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AREF, Desmond Oteng, described the festival as a long-term continental movement responding to Africa’s rapid urban growth rather than a one-off gathering.
“Africa is urbanising faster than any other continent. By 2050, over 1.4 billion Africans will live in cities, yet our real estate conversations still focus on buildings and prices instead of people, quality of life, and sustainability,” Oteng said.
He explained that AREF seeks to reposition real estate as a driver of economic transformation, climate responsibility, cultural identity, youth empowerment, diaspora participation, and inclusive urban development. Although the maiden edition will be hosted in Ghana, Oteng stressed that the festival is designed as a pan-African platform, with plans to expand into other African countries.
“Our focus is intentional city building. Africa does not need more unplanned cities or gated silos. We need connected communities and functional urban ecosystems that work for people,” he added.
The festival is expected to attract over 1,500 delegates, more than 100 exhibitors from over 30 countries, and at least 50 speakers, including policymakers, developers, investors, architects, planners, financial institutions, prop-tech innovators, and diaspora stakeholders.
International interest in the festival was highlighted by the participation of the High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana, H.E. Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, who announced Barbados’ involvement in AREF 2026. She described the festival as a strategic bridge linking diplomacy, investment, and sustainable development.
“Real estate today is no longer just about property ownership. It is about the full ecosystem, capital flows, lifestyle assets, and long-term value creation,” she said.
Drawing from Barbados’ experience, she noted that real estate contributes about 18 percent of the country’s GDP, supported by political stability,
clear legal frameworks, progressive tax systems, and community education. She said these lessons could be valuable for Ghana and other African coastal states, particularly in tourism-linked developments, coastal conservation, health tourism, retirement living, and sustainable community planning.
From the government’s perspective, the Deputy Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, Nana Kyere Agyemang, outlined Ghana’s evolving strategy to strengthen diaspora participation in the real estate sector. He said the focus is shifting from consumption-driven remittances to structured investment and asset creation.
“Our objective is to move beyond remittances for consumption and toward remittances for asset building,” Agyemang stated.
He identified priority areas including capital market integration through real estate investment trusts and diaspora bonds, improved regulatory transparency through digital land governance, and sustainability within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He also noted plans to incentivise commercial real estate developments that function as logistics hubs for intra-African trade.
AREF 2026 will feature a multi-layered programme, including an Investment and Policy Conference, a Real Estate Exhibition and Diaspora Investment Pavilion, a Luxury Experience and Lifestyle Showcase, and a Cultural Festival and Innovation Matchmaking segment. These will be supported by workshops, demonstrations, and structured networking sessions.
Organisers say the festival aims to generate over US$200 million in investment leads while producing The AREF Report 2026, a data-driven publication analysing real estate trends and opportunities across Africa. Beyond 2026, AREF plans to develop a continent-wide circuit with regional editions focused on sustainable urban innovation and economic collaboration.
AREF is organised by the pan-African Africa Real Estate Festival organisation and supported by year-round initiatives in research, prop-tech acceleration, policy advocacy, and industry networking.
