Having assumed the 2025 presidency of the G20, South Africa will have to tap all of its event planning prowess to deliver its agenda of more than 135 high-level meetings across the country for an estimated 50,000-60,000 international delegates. It all leads up to the G20 Summit in November, marking the first time this global gathering will take place on the African continent. 

While the country’s key PCOs, DMCs and event planning service providers are busy making this happen, Meetings Africa, hosted at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Center Feb. 25-26, was also busy setting the stage for the best of the continent’s meeting industry, attracting seasoned planners from across Africa and beyond. And in a landmark year when global political leaders are set to descend upon South Africa’s major cities, the event’s spotlight was shining perhaps a little more brightly on the industry’s own emerging leaders during the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum (FLF)—an initiative to identify and promote generational talent—at Meetings Africa.

As part of its two-day program offering expert insight via education and networking, the FLF had whittled more than 50 student submissions to the regional International University Challenge down to just three finalists—Fulufhelo Emre Tharaga, Sidney Atieno and Prince Matlakala—to compete for the title of regional winner and the chance to attend IMEX Frankfurt to pitch for the global prize. 

“It feels really great to be a part of the FLF, I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Matlakala, a student from South Africa-based Cape Peninsula University of Technology. “You get to experience and learn a lot of things that will impact you personally and professionally on the road in life.”  

Atieno, a student from the Technical University of Kenya, said, “It’s such a great opportunity to network with people and meet new people from different countries, as it is also my first international trip.”

Also appreciating the networking and education, Tharaga, a student from South Africa-based Vaal University of Technology, added, “There are industry giants here who are for the benefit of us students and those who would like knowledge of the industry.”

Above: The regional finalists (left to right): Sidney Atieno, Prince Matlakala and Fulufhelo Emre Tharaga.

Tasked with presenting their proposals of hosting an event to promote one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the three FLF finalists didn’t shy away from tackling some pressing current issues, presenting themes of sustainable development and housing advocacy in townships, action against femicide and addressing neurological conditions in the event industry. And while each of the finalists’ submissions engaged some of Africa’s unique selling propositions in their event programs, at this early stage of their fledgling careers they were also presciently cognizant of the challenges the industry faces in moving forward. 

“I think one of the biggest issues that we have is lack of knowledge,” Tharaga said. “I can say that by attending Meetings Africa I have learned so much. Even though I am an eco-tourism student, I didn’t know most of the things that I have learned here. We are doing the courses…but we are not learning enough for the industry.” 

Atieno noted a need for additional world-class event space.

“I think there is potential for Africa to be great in events if it improves its infrastructure and has more convention centers,” Atieno said. “For Kenya, we only have one major one that is commonly used, and I think [building more large venues] could be a great opportunity for the country to host more big, big events and not just local events.”

Reiterating the sentiments of the other finalists, Matlakala said, “I would also like to highlight crime as an issue in Africa that affects our infrastructure. As we build up our infrastructure, we need to combat crime to ensure stability, as this will increase Africa’s standing on the international level as an event destination.” 

After an agenda-packed morning, the panel of three distinguished judges—Mulemwa Moongwa, manager, global accounts at Zambia’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre; Joost de Meyer, chairman and CEO of First Incentive Travel; and Hlolohelo Zwane, last year’s overall FLF International University Challenge winner at IMEX Frankfurt, who now works for South African Tourism—adjourned for lunch with the tough task of having to select just one winner. And the relieved finalists could take stock of their experience and highlight what the next waves of FLF participants could look forward to. 

“I think FLF is the foundation for everything that you are going to build towards a successful career,” Matlakala said.

Atieno added, “It’s a great networking hub and I would tell future participants that it’s OK to be scared, but you have to talk to and network with people, because it’s your future.”

Back in the hall to announce the result of their deliberations, the presiding judges were keen to emphasize to the vanguard of new leaders the scale and potential of the industry awaiting them.

“Africa is a continent of 1.2 billion people, and the meeting industry is one that is dependent on the movement of people,” Moongwa said. “On any given day in every destination in Africa, a meeting is ongoing. The $100 million question is how are we not living off of this industry as a continent?” 

After multiple drum rolls in a room tense with anticipation, Fulufhelo Emre Tharaga was invited to the stage as winner of this regional FLF International University Challenge.

“I’m really excited and I feel very lucky that I am here, as I was going against two very brilliant minds in my two competitors,” Tharaga said. “This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—I mean, I’m now going to Germany because of this competition!”

Above: The regional winner of the International University Challenge at Meetings Africa, Fulufhelo Emre Tharaga (second from right), poses with the competition’s judges.

Meetings Africa 2025 by the numbers 

The 19th edition of Meetings Africa was hosted at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Center, the city’s premier events venue, featuring two main exhibition halls, four ballrooms, seven boardrooms, five committee rooms and multiples breakout spaces (together able to accommodate up to 10,000 visitors a day).  

The main exhibition hall at Meetings Africa featured 410 exhibitors, 85 of them new, from more than 26 African countries, with four new countries attending this year’s event: Chad, Guinea, Madagascar and Morocco. 

• 113 SMME’s among exhibitors.
• More than 8,000 confirmed meetings.
• More than 320 buyers present.
• Delegates from over 60 countries in attendance.
• Total direct expenditure generated from Meetings Africa estimated to be more than R150 million (~US$8.25 million).