By SCM Staff Writer I Tuesday, October 07, 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A new, bespoke investor tour is set to facilitate a direct exchange between African property leaders and some of the Gulf’s most significant capital pools, reflecting a growing trend of Middle Eastern interest in the continent’s real estate and broader economic sectors.
Africa Property Investment (API) Events, a leading facilitator of investment platforms across Africa, is launching the inaugural Africa-UAE Investor Tour from November 10 to 13, 2025, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The boutique event is designed to move beyond traditional forums, offering a select group of African developers, investors, and C-suite executives direct access to Gulf sovereign wealth funds, family offices, private equity, and venture capital investors actively looking to deploy capital.
“There is a lot of Gulf capital—sovereign wealth funds, family offices—and a lot of activity led out of the Gulf and Dubai into Africa,” says Murray Anderson-Ogle, Managing Director of API Events.
However, he notes the difficulty in making initial connections: “For someone from the Gulf to come to Africa to meet a developer or a pension fund, it’s hard; you’re going to spend months tracking them down.”
The tour, limited to about 40 delegates, aims to solve this by “bringing the leader of Africa to Dubai,” creating a curated environment for relationship-building—a process that Anderson-Ogle suggests can otherwise take months or even years to achieve independently.
A Two-Way Street of Opportunity
Industry experts affirm the deepening connection.
Kevin Teeroovengadum, a Board Director of several real estate and hospitality firms, observes a shift in Middle Eastern interest beyond traditional sectors like mining and petroleum into areas such as high-end hospitality and broader real estate.
This dynamic is already a two-way street. Dubai-based real estate giants, including DAMAC, are actively marketing their developments to African buyers looking to diversify wealth and establish a secure offshore presence. The UAE’s role as a global trading and logistics hub further strengthens the link, with its enhanced flight connectivity—driven by airlines like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways—pivotal in connecting African commerce to the Middle East and beyond.
Urban Blueprints and Legacy Connections
The four-day tour is not just a networking exercise; it includes deep-dive sessions and exclusive site visits to landmark developments across Dubai, offering African delegates a chance to study the city’s urban development blueprint. Visits are planned to iconic projects like ICD Brookfield Place and the One Za’abeel Tower, alongside residential developments by major players like Binghatti and DAMAC.
The core of the event is the Africa + UAE Investor Conference, which will feature panels on joint ventures, capital raising, urban development, and retail expansion.
Industry luminaries are scheduled to provide a macroeconomic overview of Dubai and regional deep-dives.
In a global environment of geopolitical turbulence, Dubai is increasingly seen as a neutral and strategic financial gateway.
African investors are viewing Gulf capital as a pragmatic and long-term source for diversification and wealth preservation.
API Events states that the focus is on quality over quantity, targeting C-suite executives—CEOs, founders, and pension fund heads—who are seeking to secure legacy investments and deepen professional networks in a focused, high-level setting.
The event highlights emerging sectors beyond traditional property, including healthcare, logistics, education, and digital infrastructure, with insights from global players like DP World and Agility.
