Africa Accelerating is a flagship thought-leadership and engagement program of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, focused on advancing practical trade, investment, and commercial partnerships between Canada and African markets. We look forward to once again convening senior business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and institutions to accelerate trade and investment; including members and guests from Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Ethiopia and South Africa, among other dynamic markets across the continent. Africa Accelerating welcomes the participation of government leaders and its representatives as valued VIP guests and contributors to the dialogue. Thanks to private sector leaders, the initiative is proudly independent and neither seeks or nor accept any taxpayer grant funding. Our work is sustained through private-sector leadership, membership and the support of our partners, under the oversight our Board of Directors.
Chairperson at The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business
Paula Caldwell St-Onge, B.Sc., MBA, ICD.D is an accomplished Ambassador with over 30 years of experience working in the Canadian Government.
She has significant experience in government administration, international relations, political risk, sustainable development, international trade, economic development and environmental sciences. Ms. Caldwell St-Onge began her career in Public Service in 1989 and held progressively more senior positions in the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office, the Privy Council Office and Environment Canada. At Environment Canada she was the Director General for Environmental Assessment and Emergency Security Preparedness and Chief Enforcement Officer. In her tenure with Global Affairs Canada,
Ms. Caldwell St-Onge held a range of senior positions including Canadian Ambassador to Haiti, Director General Pan-African Bureau, Minister Counsellor Trade for the Canadian Embassy in Mexico and Brazil and Head of Mission-Consul General for the South-Central USA (Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana).
Her expertise includes bilaterial trade, community relations, environmental and social impacts of major projects, and governance (ESG). Paula serves on numerous boards, including Calibre Mining and is the recipient of the Head of Public Service Award for Excellence in Public Policy and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. Ms. Caldwell St-Onge holds a B.Sc. from Queens University and an MBA from Cumbria University, UK.
Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Kennedy Onuwa Okwudili as an Executive Director of the bank effective May 1, 2026.
Mr. Okwudili graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Accounting in 1998 from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, with a Second Class Upper division. He obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria in 2008 and a Masters of Science in Accounting from Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria in 2021.
Mr. Okwudili has over twenty-five years of cognate banking experience spanning credit and marketing, treasury, compliance as well as operations and had at different times worked in various zones and departments of the bank.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), 2013, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), 2024 and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), 2016.
He has attended several Executive Education Programmes both within and outside the country, including: Senior Leadership Development Programme at the Lagos Business School, Corporate Directorship Programme at the Harvard Business School and Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford, SAID Business School.
He is currently the President of Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN) and a member of the Noble Order of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI).
Steve Tipman leads the organization in fulfilling its mission of catalyzing economic growth through international trade. Directing the successful execution of TFO Canada’s strategic plan, Steve is responsible for overall administration, operational management, and reporting to the Board of Directors.
With over 24 years of senior management experience in both the private and non-profit sectors, Steve has spent much of his career working in the areas of international trade and development. He spent eight years working at Livingston International, a trade services company focused on customs brokerage and compliance. He also served as a Vice President of fundraising, communications and marketing with CARE Canada and President and CEO of Volunteer Canada.
Steve is a member of the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) School of Management Sciences International Program and sits on Blue Global Canada Institute’s Advisory Group. Actively involved with Cooperation Canada, He is also a member of its Civil Society Policy Advisory Group, which is co-chaired with Global Affairs Canada and VIDEA. Steve holds an international master’s in business administration degree from the University of Ottawa and is fluently bilingual in both French and English.
Samuel is the Founder & CEO of Storspay, a fintech platform that helps U.S. small businesses pay employees, contractors, and suppliers across Africa and Latin America — instantly and affordably, without the cost and delay of international wires. Backed by Techstars NYC (powered by J.P. Morgan) and supported by Circle and JPMorgan Chase, Storspay grew from Samuel's conviction that merchants in emerging markets deserve the same access to capital and payments as anyone in New York. A serial founder in fintech and healthtech with 15+ years building cross-border ventures, he is scaling solutions from Africa to the world.
Co-Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer at 369 Global
Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman of 369 Global, a Canadian group of companies focused on skills training, media, and global talent mobility. A former civil servant in the Ontario Public Service, he has led initiatives in policy and innovation, partnerships, growth, and intergovernmental affairs. Kumaran has participated in international trade missions and is a vocal advocate for everyday Canadian leadership.
Named a CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow, Established Professional of the Year by the Canadian Tamil Professionals Association, and a finalist for Inspirational Leader of the Year Award at the Canadian SME National Business Awards, he brings a rare mix of public insight and entrepreneurial drive.
Kumaran lives in Brampton, Ontario, with his wife and two children.
Neil Reeder joined B2Gold in 2017 following a distinguished government career of over 35 years with Global Affairs Canada. He helped advance Canada's trade, foreign policy and development agenda during seven different diplomatic postings overseas and in increasingly senior positions in Ottawa. His last posting was as Canada's Ambassador to the Philippines.
Mr. Reeder’s previous ambassadorial postings include serving as Canada's High Commissioner to Brunei and as Canadian Ambassador to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. He has also served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico.
Mr. Reeder has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University. He speaks three languages.
Sivan Yaari is the founder and CEO of Innovation: Africa, a non profit organisation that brings Israeli solar, agricultural, and water technologies to African villages. She was born in Israel, raised in France, and educated in the United States with a degree in Finance from Pace University and a Master’s in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University. Sivan has been working in Africa for over 20 years and for the past 18 years, has brought clean water and light to 6 million people across 10 African countries.
Sivan and her organization, Innovation: Africa, have received multiple awards including the Innovation Award from the United Nations. Sivan received the “Light of Israel Award from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2022 and has been listed as one of the 50 most influential jews in the world in 2023 Sivan was chosen to light the torch at Israel’s 75th Independence Day ceremony, one of the highest and most prestigious recognitions in Israel for her work in Africa. Sivan lives in Herzelia with her husband and their 3 children.
Replay transcript excerpt
Distinguished delegates, we are live. Very good morning to each 1 of you gathered here in person. I have the good fortune of being with you as president of the Canada Africa Chamber of Business. You're in the heart of downtown Toronto at Goodman's LLP, our longstanding host since our founding in 1994. Thank you so much to Randy McCauley, who will be joining us momentarily. Special acknowledgement to the leadership from various governments present today, and of course, Assistant Deputy Minister for Pan-African Affairs at Global Affairs Canada, Cheryl Urban, joined by Andrew Hirst, Director General at the Pan-African Affairs Bureau, as well as several senior members of the team focused on trade and development engagement across the board. I'd also like to recognize various excellencies who will be with us throughout the day today in person. Her Excellency Dora Francisca Eduwanda, thank you so much, from the Republic of Ghana. Excellency Dandi Somediallo, Ambassador of Burkina Faso, joined by the Premier-Counselor. And then Dr. Al-Khasa Lashar Dhafer for the head of the Libyan mission, Henry Lee joining us again from Malaysia, and retired Ambassador Greg Goldhawker continues to serve with distinction now as a member of our Senior Advisory Board. None of this happens today, as I call this gathering to order, without the generous support of sponsors, Companies who believe in the mission and the future of Canada-Africa trade and investment is deeply intertwined. And I'd like to recognize some of those in the room today. Zenith Bank, comprising our keynote speaker, represented by Dr. Kennedy Okwudili. Thank you so much for being with us. B2Gold's keynote address by Neil Reader, sponsors of our recent program in Namibia that preceded the excellent program we held in Lagos, N...
