The Carbon Markets Africa Summit opened in Kigali on October 13, gathering policymakers, investors, carbon-credit buyers and project developers to accelerate Africa’s transition from climate-finance plans to bankable carbon transactions.
The three-day event runs until October 15 at the Kigali Convention Centre and is hosted by Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment, with UNDP and the African Development Bank among its host organizations, according to Carbon Markets Africa.
Organizers describe the summit as a continental platform for high-integrity carbon markets, with discussions covering Article 6 implementation, project development, finance, buyer demand and deal structuring.
With participation confirmed from 24 African countries and 45 countries globally, CMAS 2026 will bring together more than 100 speakers, over 50 investors, buyers and financiers, 20 African governments and more than 40 project developers in Kigali.
The meeting comes as African governments seek to attract more climate investment while ensuring carbon credits deliver measurable environmental and social benefits. The program includes ministerial and technical roundtables, sessions on investor priorities and pricing, and debates on what constitutes credible “high-integrity” credits.
The Rwanda Environment Management Authority says the country has earned about $1.5 million from carbon-credit sales, while 29 projects have been registered at different stages of development. Those projects span forestry and land conservation, agriculture, renewable energy, electric mobility and waste management.
The summit’s broader challenge is to convert Africa’s natural assets, including forests, soils and clean-energy potential, into reliable revenue without repeating concerns over weak verification, unclear community benefits or low-quality credits.
