08:30 – 09:30 | Registration & Networking
Arrival, registration, and informal networking with suppliers, buyers, and partners over light refreshments. Media walk-through opportunities available.
09:30 – 10:30 | Opening Plenary — Africa’s Supply Chain Opportunity
Setting the regional context for resilient supply chains and positioning women-owned businesses as strategic economic drivers. The session will highlight how the Gateway is already connecting suppliers and buyers across markets.
10:30 – 11:15 | Panel Conversation — What Buyers Need& Why Readiness Matters
A candid conversation with corporate buyers on what they look for in suppliers, the most common capability gaps that delay sourcing, and how readiness improves success for both sides.
11:15 – 11:45 | Networking Break
11:45 – 13:00 | Parallel Breakout Sessions
Breakout 1 – Supplier Capability & Readiness (WOB Track)
Designed for women-owned businesses at every stage. A practical discussion on what it takes to become a supplier of choice, lessons from certified suppliers, and pathways into certification and upcoming deal rooms.
Breakout 2 – Buyer & Ecosystem Dialogue(Buyer/Ecosystem Track)
An interactive forum for corporates, banks, associations, and ecosystem partners to exchange insights on impact sourcing, engagement models that work, and partnerships that accelerate outcomes.
13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch & Networking
A networking lunch fostering cross-sector collaboration and buyer–supplier connections.
14:00 – 15:30 | Curated Deal Room – Session 1 (Closed Session)
Structured, time-bound conversations between certified or near-certified suppliers and pre-briefed buyers. Designed for category-based matchmaking and facilitated introductions to spark real transactions and contracts.
15:30 – 16:15 | Learning Labs (Open Sessions)
Interactive mini-sessions focused on practical growth levers:
- Financing readiness for suppliers
- Managing compliance across markets
- Scaling from local to regional supply
16:15 – 17:00 | Day 1 Wrap-Up — What We’ve Learned &What Comes Next
Key takeaways and next steps for suppliers entering future certification cohorts and buyers joining upcoming deal rooms. Includes a preview of Day 2 activities.
09:00 – 10:00 | Morning Plenary — From Kenya to the Region: Scaling Engagement
A strategic look at how the Gateway model expands into South Africa and Nigeria through upcoming Impact Sourcing Roundtables, showing why continuity matters for sustainable buyer–supplier relationships.
10:00 – 11:30 | Curated Deal Room – Session 2 (Closed Session)
Deeper buyer–supplier conversations focused on follow-up planning, action agreements, and identifying post-summit opportunities.
11:30 – 12:30 | Parallel Sessions
Breakout 1 – Supplier Growth Clinics (Women-Owned Business Track)
Tailored coaching on preparing for engagement in South Africa and Nigeria, and strengthening post-certification readiness.
Breakout 2 – Buyer Brief Continuation (Buyer Track)
Collaborative planning to refine sourcing needs, explore sponsorship and in-kind partnership roles, and confirm commitments for future convenings.
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch & Networking
13:30 – 14:30 | Ecosystem Roundtable — Building a Sustainable Supplier Pipeline
A working session with associations, financial institutions, media, and development partners to align roles, identify collaboration points, and strengthen the long-term Gateway ecosystem.
14:30 – 15:30 | Closing Plenary — The Road Ahead
Summary of summit outcomes and next milestones, including the continuation of the Certification Accelerator and the upcoming South Africa and Nigeria Roundtables. An invitation to remain engaged in the Gateway’s ongoing regional expansion.
