Registrations from 96 countries point to international interest in African capital markets, according to the State of African Diaspora Investing 2026 report, published by investment platform MyStocks Africa.
The company records 3,339 expressions of investment interest, including 3,179 with country information. It classifies 35.5% of country-tagged registrations as diaspora demand, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada leading that group.
These figures describe the platform’s registrations. They do not establish the diaspora’s share of retail investment across Africa or show how much money has been invested. (mystocks.africa)
Interest in smaller investments
The report says 74.4% selected an intended investment amount below $1,000. That figure covers its reported sample, rather than a separately identified diaspora-only survey.
Much of the interest also relates to an anticipated Dangote Refinery listing. The figures therefore offer a limited snapshot, rather than evidence of a continent-wide surge or a measured shift away from remittances. (mystocks.africa)
Connecting African exchanges
There are already efforts to make trading between African markets easier.
The African Exchanges Linkage Project, developed by the African Securities Exchanges Association and African Development Bank, connects participating markets through stockbrokers who route clients’ orders across borders.
Participating exchanges include the Nigerian Exchange, the Nairobi Securities Exchange, and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
However, custody and settlement still follow the rules of the market where the shares are traded. Connecting exchanges does not automatically create a single settlement system or remove every requirement facing overseas investors. (africanexchangeslink.com)
A wider diaspora discussion
Diaspora investment also features in the programme for the Sixth Region Diaspora Caucus conference.
Organisers scheduled campus sessions at the University of Ghana for 6 and 7 October, followed by tours and site visits on 8 and 9 October. The announced themes include citizenship, integration, and sustainable diaspora investment.
The event announcement does not establish that delegates have agreed changes to investment rights or exchange settlement rules. (srdcinternational.org)
Trivane View
Making African markets easier to access could give people abroad more ways to invest. But interest becomes useful investment only when platforms earn trust and explain their fees, currency costs, ownership arrangements, and withdrawal rules clearly.
Investment should also complement the money families receive for everyday needs. The aim should be to widen choices, rather than suggest that essential family support is money poorly spent.
