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Home to 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, Africa has emerged as a strategic player in global supply chains. The continent's iron ore sector, in particular, offers substantial growth opportunities, with global demand and new exploration campaigns making a strong case for investment. As capital expenditure across the sector increases, Africa has a unique opportunity to turn its iron ore resources into catalysts for sustainable economic growth - and countries are already responding to this call.

Iron Ore Emerges as Strategic Priority

The global iron ore market is expected to grow from $313 billion in 2026 to $425 billion by 2034, driven by infrastructure expansion, industrialization and the continued need for steel in automotive and construction applications. In response, African countries and institutions are moving to position iron ore as a strategic priority. The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has designated iron ore as a strategic resource critical for advancing Africa's mineral production, manufacturing capabilities and industrialization agenda. In its Compendium of Africa's Strategic Minerals study released in mid-February, the AFC states that, of the continent's estimated $8.6 trillion in untapped mineral wealth, iron ore presents a unique opportunity to drive domestic steel and construction sectors while insulating Africa from global demand volatility.

South Africa has also made iron ore a pillar of its critical minerals expansion strategy which targets R2 trillion in investment over the next five years. Speaking in his mid-February State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: "Our iron ore reserves are valued at more than R40 trillion, making mining a sunrise industry. After many years of declining investment in exploration, we are dedicating funds to geological mapping and exploration to harness our critical mineral reserves."

Similarly, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is prioritizing iron ore exploitation as part of its strategy to unlock its $24 trillion in untapped mineral wealth. Speaking in Cape Town in mid-February, Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba highlighted the country's $28 billion special economic zone program spanning the North East to South West, aimed at mining and processing iron ore into steel.

Earlier on, during African Mining Week (AMW) 2025, Kabamba highlighted the DRC's iron ore potential in an exclusive interview with Energy Capital & Power. "We have 20 billion tons of iron ore - enough to supply steel for Africa. The continent must identify what is critical and prioritize it to drive regional growth," he said.

African Projects Eye Domestic Markets

As iron ore production rises in Africa, many countries are integrating mining with broader industrial agenda. Guinea, for example, is leveraging its $20 billion Simandou iron ore project – the world's largest untapped iron ore deposit - as the cornerstone of its Simandou 2040 strategy, a mining-sector-led economic diversification plan. The country aims to attract global investment not only into mining but across strategic sectors, channeling capital into 122 priority projects spanning infrastructure, health, education and agriculture.

Meanwhile, Liberia is on track to triple its iron ore output this year, fueling the expansion of its industrial sector. This growth is being driven by ongoing projects and capacity expansions from ArcelorMittal Liberia, Cavalla Resources, Westcrest, Zodiac, and Bao Chico. The country's Minister of Mines Matenokay Tingban previously shared that the country expects to reach between 25 million and 30 million tons once all producers come online.

AMW 2026: Unlocking Investment and Industrial Potential

Ongoing developments highlight the strategic potential of Africa's iron ore sector to drive mining growth, attract investment and fuel industrialization. With global demand for steel and iron rising, African nations are combining resource wealth with infrastructure development, local beneficiation and strategic financing to maximize value across the continent.

Stepping into this picture, the upcoming African Mining Week 2026 - scheduled for October 14–16 in Cape Town - will provide a premier platform to showcase these opportunities. The event will facilitate partnerships, deal signings and high-level discussions across the iron ore value chain, uniting governments, investors and private sector stakeholders to accelerate production, industrial growth and economic transformation across Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

By Libby Allen, Vice President: Brand & Creative, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com).

Each March, International Women's Day fills the calendar with campaigns, flowers, and carefully timed announcements. The day has real historical weight – born from early twentieth century demands for the right to work, vote, and organise. The question it rarely reaches is the one worth asking: not who is being celebrated, but who controls what they have built.

In African creative industries in 2026, that question has instructive answers. They're economic, not symbolic. And they're being written by women.

The ownership argument

In Senegal, Diarra Bousso grew up in a home where art and style were a daily language. She went on to study mathematics, worked on Wall Street, and came back to Dakar with a model for a fashion and lifestyle brand: nothing gets made until someone has asked for it.

DIARRABLU, the brand she built from her parents' rooftop, uses proprietary mathematical algorithms to generate designs, puts them to a community vote before a single garment is cut, and produces entirely on demand – achieving a 60% reduction in waste, and cutting excess stock. Her supply chain is almost entirely Senegalese artisans. The IP – the algorithms, the methodology, the design system – is entirely hers. The value is in Bousso's process, and the process is owned.

In South Africa, game studio Nyamakop spent years building something hard to copy. Relooted, released last month, is a heist adventure set in a futuristic Johannesburg in which the player recovers 70 real African artefacts from Western museums and private collections. The game was built by a team drawn from more than ten African countries. Mohale Mashigo – its narrative director, a novelist, and comic book writer who has also worked for Marvel and DC – is precise about ownership. Every artefact in the game maps to a real object with a documented history belonging to a named people.

That specificity isn't just artistic rigour. The world of Relooted is built so it can't be detached from its own context and repurposed elsewhere. Culture travels differently when it's self-authored.

In Nigeria, Mo Abudu applies the same logic to distribution. EbonyLife Media – the production house and TV network she founded in 2012, whose films and series have drawn millions of viewing hours – launched EbonyLife ON Plus in November last year. It's a membership-based platform designed to keep the value of African storytelling on the continent. The platform is new; the strategy is not: own the infrastructure, or someone else sets the terms.

Three countries. Three creative sectors. Find the point in the chain where value is captured. Own it.

Owned but exposed

AI-generated content has intensified the pressure. GenAI models are trained, in large part, on creative output they don't pay for – and whether that output counts as a compensable input is now being tested in courtrooms and policy chambers. In African creative economies, where the volume of visual, narrative, and cultural material is vast and formal IP infrastructure is uneven, exposure is significant. Women's creative output is feeding systems they don't own.

The AI question and the infrastructure question aren't separate. One is playing out in courtrooms. The other is playing out in markets.

Narrative control

Reaching the right markets requires a different kind of ownership. Africa isn't a single market. It is 54 distinct countries, each with its own media landscape, languages, cultures, and decision-makers. Many communications partners offer visibility but don't know the nuances of each market; they're not present on the ground – so they offer approximation, which costs while the narrative is diluted.

The same logic that drives Bousso to keep her algorithms proprietary, that drove Mashigo and Nyamakop to build a game precisely, that led Abudu to build her own platforms rather than license outward – it applies here too. Who tells the story, in which markets, in whose language, through which channels: this is where narrative control is either held or lost. For brands to reach across Africa, brand communications must be African.

What happens next?  

International Women's Day will generate thousands of posts this March. It's worth watching what happens in the days after – whether the women building ownership across African creative industries control more of their work, their distribution, and their narrative than they did the year before. That is the only measure that matters.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group Insights.

About APO Group: 
Founded in 2007 by Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, APO Group is the communications consultancy built for performance – combining strategic advisory, on-the-ground execution, and guaranteed visibility across every African market.

Recognised with multiple international awards, including SABRE, Davos Communications, and World Business Outlook distinctions, APO Group partners with global and African organisations to deliver communications that perform – through strategy, execution, and measurable visibility.

Our founder's advisory roles with international institutions strengthen APO Group's access to decision-makers and reinforce our role as the continent's most connected communications consultancy. Clients include Canon, Emirates, Nestlé, NFL, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Afreximbank, the African Development Bank Group, GITEX Global, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcomes GCR Ratings' (“GCR”) latest Rating (https://apo-opa.co/40g6Vd1) action on the Bank, affirming the Bank's international scale long and short-term issuer ratings of A and A2 respectively. The outlook was revised to “Stable” from “Rating Watch Evolving”.

GCR has also affirmed the international scale long term programme rating on the USD 5 billion Global Medium Term Note (GMTN) Programme of A.

The improved rating reflects GCR's assessment of a “robust counter-cyclical mandate, underpinned by a strong track record and ongoing preferential creditor treatment (PCT) from shareholders.” South Africa became the latest country to affirm the Bank's Establishment Treaty and Preferred Creditor Status when it recently signed the Instrument of Accession (https://apo-opa.co/4rdBtqK) to become a full sovereign member of the Bank. The report continued: “The Bank's solid capitalisation and diversified funding profile provide significant buffers against emerging credit risks.”  The report also acknowledged the Bank's diverse shareholding base.

The outlook change from “Rating Watch Evolving” to “Stable”, according to GCR, indicates that there is immaterial downside risk related to sovereign debt restructurings.

Commenting on the Rating action, Mr. Chandi Mwenebungu, Managing Director and Group Treasurer, Treasury and Markets at Afreximbank said: “We are delighted that GCR has affirmed its credit rating on the Bank and resolved the outlook to ‘stable', particularly in the light of recent positive credit developments. We continue to assert that the Bank's preferred creditor treatment is enshrined in the Bank's Establishment Agreement, ratified by all member states. It is not a matter of opinion or convention; it is fact.

Mr Mwenebungu continued, “It is also pleasing to note that GCR acknowledges the Afreximbank's strong liquidity and capitalisation, and resilient risk profile.  This is testament to the Bank's financial and operational strength and that it has been able to demonstrate firm resolve in the face of continued macro-economic pressures and a challenging environment.”

Afreximbank's risk management framework was independently assessed in 2025 and registered as complying with international standard ISO 31000:2018 (https://apo-opa.co/4le6xpd), which demonstrates the Bank's commitment to maintaining best practices in support of  its mandate as the Continent's leading Trade Finance Institution. The registration, issued by Certification Partner Global (CPG), follows rigorous independent assessments of Afreximbank's enterprise risk management framework by external auditors, with zero non-conformities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank's total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) at “Stable”, Moody's (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), and Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, "the Group"). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

As Africa's oil and gas sector gathers unprecedented momentum — buoyed by major discoveries, renewed exploration campaigns and intensifying global demand for diversified supply — the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) has sharpened a parallel and increasingly vocal campaign: ensuring that Africa's energy renaissance is not built on exclusion.

In a firm public statement that has reverberated across industry circles, the Chamber declared that as Africa's oil and gas sector expands, investment must “guarantee African participation, reject discrimination and uphold local content.” It warned that in the coming weeks it will engage African officials and industry leaders to secure “clear commitments to inclusive hiring and equal opportunity,” adding pointedly that “where progress is absent, we will exercise our lawful right to protest.”

The message marks the latest escalation in what has become a sustained, multi-year advocacy push targeting global conference organizers and industry platforms that derive significant revenue from African markets but, according to the AEC, fail to reflect Africa in their leadership structures.

A Campaign Years in the Making

The current confrontation did not emerge overnight. Over the past several years, the AEC has issued multiple press releases, public letters and statements addressing what it describes as systemic exclusion within certain international energy forums.

Among those most frequently cited are Frontier Energy Network, organizer of the Africa Energies Summit in London, and Hyve Group, a global exhibitions firm with significant exposure to African-focused extractive industry events.

In successive communications dating back several conference cycles, the Chamber has called for structural reform, urging these entities to hire, promote and empower African professionals — including Black women — into senior executive and board-level positions.

The AEC argues that while African ministers, national oil companies, regulators and indigenous firms are prominently featured on stage at major summits, decision-making power within the organizing companies remains largely non-African.

To reinforce its position, the Chamber has publicly circulated graphics highlighting what it says is the near absence of Africans on boards and executive leadership teams of these organizations — despite the fact that a substantial portion of sponsorship revenue, delegate participation and thematic focus centers on Africa.

For the AEC, this disconnect is not symbolic — it is structural.

NJ Ayuk: “Inclusion Is Not Optional”

Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk has been at the forefront of the campaign, framing it as a matter of principle rather than rivalry.

“Africa's energy future cannot be dictated from boardrooms that do not include Africans,” Ayuk has said in connection with the Chamber's recent statements. “If you are making substantial revenue from African markets, hosting Africa-focused events and leveraging African participation, then Africans must be part of your leadership and governance structures.”

He has consistently rejected the notion that the campaign is confrontational for its own sake. Instead, he presents it as aligned with the continent's local content laws and sovereignty agenda.

“We are not asking for favors. We are demanding fairness, merit-based opportunity and respect. Africa cannot champion local content at home while tolerating exclusion abroad.”

Frontier Energy Network in the Spotlight

In its most recent release on exclusion, the Chamber directly cited Frontier Energy Network, reigniting scrutiny around the Africa Energies Summit.

The AEC contends that while the summit convenes high-level African participation — including ministers, regulators and executives — the internal hiring and leadership structure of the organizing body does not adequately reflect African professionals.

“Frontier Energy Network's hiring practices – widely understood across the industry to exclude Black professionals – are wrong. Full stop,” the AEC said. It further warned that organizations earning substantial revenue from Africans cannot expect to benefit from African markets while denying fair employment to Africans.

Following publication of the Chamber's latest statement naming Frontier, Pan African Visions reached out via email to Frontier Energy Network seeking comment and reaction. At press time, no formal response had been received.

However, shortly after the AEC's renewed charge, Frontier's Founder and CEO, Gayle Meikle, published a detailed LinkedIn essay titled “Frontier CEO Brief: What Is an African?”

While the post did not directly reference the Chamber's allegations, it addressed themes central to the debate — identity, sovereignty and partnership.

“I am an African woman. I am Zimbabwean. I was born in Zimbabwe. That is who I am,” Meikle wrote, emphasizing Africa's diversity across 54 sovereign states and more than 2,000 languages. She cautioned against reducing Africa to binary definitions of who is “African enough,” politically or economically.

Meikle underscored Africa's civilizational depth — from Arab and Amazigh communities in the north to Yoruba, Igbo, Swahili, Shona, Zulu and Xhosa traditions — and argued that Africa's resources must serve African development first.

“Africa welcomes investment, but it expects partnership,” she wrote. “Sovereignty and collaboration are not in conflict; they are mutually reinforcing.”

She concluded with a personal declaration: “No one grants me that agency. It is inherent. And anyone who attempts to diminish it will discover that it cannot be taken.”

Ayuk's Direct Rebuttal

The LinkedIn post drew an immediate and sharply worded response from Ayuk.

In a public post visible on and off LinkedIn, Ayuk accused Frontier's leadership of avoiding the core issue.

“Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining,” Ayuk wrote, stating that he had received outreach from industry professionals offended by what he described as a “No Blacks employment policy in 2026.”

He called directly on Meikle and Frontier executive Daniel Davidson to commit to hiring Black professionals.

“Don't just beg them to come to Africa Energies Summit® and give you their money. Your brothers and sisters are qualified and need jobs. Hire them,” Ayuk wrote.

He further warned that African professionals were privately indicating they would not attend the summit if the alleged exclusionary hiring practices continued.

“A lot of Africans are already telling me in private they will not attend because of this race-based no blacks hiring policy. Don't spend your money where you can't work.”

Ayuk's post went beyond institutional critique and focused particularly on Black women in the energy sector.

He recounted a conversation with a young woman in the seismic industry who told him that white male executives often pave the way for white women to be hired, while Black women must “fight hard” for similar opportunities — especially within companies profiting from African markets.

“In today's oil industry, black women are still the last hired and the first fired,” Ayuk wrote. He emphasized that Black women often navigate the intersection of race and gender as dual minorities in senior roles, facing unique mental health and professional pressures.

Quoting Maya Angelou, he concluded: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Hyve Group and Boardroom Representation

Similarly, Hyve Group has been the subject of sustained criticism from the African Energy Chamber — most forcefully articulated in 2024 — over what the Chamber described as a persistent absence of African leadership within a company that derives substantial revenue from African markets.

In a strongly worded 2024 statement, the AEC argued that while Hyve plays a pivotal role in Africa's energy and mining landscape through flagship events such as Mining Indaba and Africa Oil Week, its executive and board-level leadership did not reflect the continent from which it earns significant commercial returns.

“It is disheartening to note that despite being a major beneficiary of Africa's economic contributions, Hyve Group has yet to usher in a leadership team that reflects the rich diversity and talent pool present on the continent,” the Chamber stated at the time.

The AEC further contended that prevailing hiring practices based on personal networks, trust and familiarity perpetuate exclusionary patterns that leave qualified African professionals — including Black women — outside decision-making circles.

Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk contrasted Hyve's leadership composition with what he described as the oil and gas industry's stronger track record in promoting African talent.

“The Oil and Gas industry that I love and champion is the greatest advocate for hiring Africans. It has trained Africans, promoted them, and many have become great entrepreneurs today,” Ayuk said in 2024. “That's why I love Oil and Gas.”

He expressed disappointment at what he described as a disconnect between Hyve's commercial success in Africa and its internal leadership structure.

“Hyve Group makes a huge part of its revenue from Africa, yet no African is in its leadership. They hire people they know, they trust and like. We're not in that circle. I am very disappointed,” Ayuk stated. “People of African heritage are greater participants and sponsors of their programs. I believe they are capable of doing the leadership jobs, but there has not been an adequate commitment to hire and promote them at Hyve Group.”

Ayuk also argued that corporate rebranding and public-facing diversity messaging must translate into measurable structural change.

“Their rebranding and wokeness must lead to some inclusion and vice versa; otherwise, their wokeness is pure self-indulgence.”

The Chamber framed the issue as one of fairness, economic reciprocity and governance consistency, particularly for countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Namibia and Tanzania that actively support and host Hyve events.

“We cannot accept that in 2024, companies doing business in Africa and earning huge revenues will not have Blacks in leadership,” Ayuk said. “Africans must not buy where they can't work.”

He further called for greater transparency around tax contributions linked to African-hosted exhibitions, urging disclosure of VAT collections and payments to relevant revenue authorities.

While the 2024 statement focused squarely on Hyve's governance structure at that time, the broader principle articulated by the Chamber has since evolved into a wider campaign encompassing multiple global event organizers: diversity must extend beyond speaker lineups and branding to executive authority, hiring pipelines and boardroom representation.

“Inclusion cannot stop at the podium,” Ayuk has repeatedly maintained. “It must extend to governance, strategy and ownership of the narrative.”

As Africa's energy and mining sectors continue to expand, the Chamber argues that companies profiting from the continent's markets must align their internal leadership structures with the local content and economic sovereignty principles increasingly enforced across African jurisdictions.

The message — first forcefully delivered in 2024 — remains central to the AEC's current push: representation is not optional, and economic partnership without leadership inclusion is unsustainable.

A Growing Ripple Effect

What distinguishes the current phase of the campaign is its intensity and visibility.

The public exchange between Frontier's CEO and the AEC Chairman has transformed what was once a policy dispute into a high-profile industry debate about race, governance and economic sovereignty.

Industry insiders suggest some companies and institutions are quietly reassessing their participation in forums organized by entities facing exclusion allegations. While no major withdrawals have been publicly announced, reputational risk has become part of the calculation.

African state-owned enterprises and regulators — increasingly conscious of domestic local content laws — face growing pressure to align external partnerships with internal policy commitments.

Redefining Global Engagement with Africa

As energy security reshapes geopolitical priorities, Africa is emerging not as a peripheral supplier but as a strategic partner.

The AEC's campaign seeks to ensure that this partnership reflects equity not only in rhetoric, but in leadership and employment structures.

Africa's energy renaissance, the Chamber argues, must be defined not only by reserves, LNG terminals or licensing rounds — but by who holds influence and who benefits from growth.

“Africa's energy renaissance must include Africans at every level,” Ayuk has insisted. “We will continue to fight for that principle — respectfully, lawfully and persistently.”

With the Africa Energies Summit approaching, the pressure shows no sign of easing. What began as a governance question has evolved into a broader reckoning over representation, partnership and the future architecture of Africa's global energy engagement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Africa's Green Economy Summit (AGES) 2026 concluded in Cape Town with a resounding call to action, urging the continent to leverage its digital revolution, transform water financing and redesign agriculture to unlock a sustainable, net-zero future. The four-day platform united over 600 delegates from 42 countries, including global investors, project developers and policymakers. The consensus was clear that with sound policies and financial innovation, Africa can convert its climate vulnerabilities into economic opportunity.

Pioneering new models for climate finance

The summit opened with a focus on innovative finance for nature, exploring green, blue, and wildlife bonds, including the "Rhino Bond" and emerging biodiversity credits. A key lesson was the importance of engaging communities as core stakeholders, not merely beneficiaries.

Carl Roothman, CEO of Sanlam Investment Group, stressed the urgency of scale: "Africa needs billions of dollars. It's great to dream, but we must act and at scale." Iain Banner, co-founder of Go Green Africa and AGES, framed the shift as fundamental: "The green and blue economies are the new operating systems of the modern world."

Government calls for practical collaboration

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Narend Singh, set a pragmatic tone: "This is where the rubber hits the road." He emphasised moving from policy to tangible results, citing South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and renewable energy procurement programme as examples. Singh urged African nations to move beyond exporting raw materials: "A low-hanging fruit is developing local value chains and beneficiating minerals here, creating jobs and advancing technology."

A digital imperative for climate action

Integrating climate goals with digital transformation emerged as a central theme. Siddhartha Raja, Senior Digital Specialist at the World Bank, noted that data centres could act as "anchor loads" to stimulate new renewable energy but warned that climate resilience must be designed in from the start. From flood-proofing to managing e-waste, which could spawn new recycling industries.

Chrissy Meier of the Digital Impact Alliance highlighted a critical gap, noting that most African cities have climate plans but lack local data for implementation. She cautioned against AI models trained on non-African data, which risk missing the realities of African communities. Raja's advice: "Carpe Digital, seize the digital to make economies more efficient, inclusive, and greener."

Making water infrastructure bankable

A high-level panel tackled the perception that water projects are uninvestable. Obadiah Mungai of the World Resources Institute Africa argued the real issue is translation: "How do you convert water outcomes into bankable outputs?" Fixing governance and data is the first step to attracting capital.

Louise Stafford of The Nature Conservancy cited Cape Town's post-"Day Zero" investment in catchment restoration, which proved far more cost-effective than desalination. "There is a bigger risk in business as usual than in investing in water," she said. The panel concluded that with robust preparation and blended finance, water resilience can become an attractive asset class.

Strengthening food security through renewable energy

Energy instability directly threatens food systems, without reliable power, irrigation fails and cold chains break. Henry Roman of the International Water Management Institute called for a holistic approach to the water-energy-food nexus, showcasing data tools helping farmers optimise water use.

Ian de Jager of I&F Engineering noted a new trend: farmers becoming energy producers, using small-scale hydropower to power operations and sell excess renewable energy certificates. Andrea Campher of Standard Bank added that with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) now in effect, a farmer's emissions profile is as critical as product quality. "Renewable energy strengthens ESG credibility," she said.

AGES 2026 has laid the cornerstone for a resilient green economy, proving that when climate goals are woven into the continent's core systems, ambition transforms into tangible progress. The next summit takes place 17-19 March 2027 in Cape Town.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

About Africa's Green Economy Summit (AGES): 
Africa's Green Economy Summit (AGES) is a premier pan-African platform dedicated to accelerating Africa's transition to a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient economy. Hosted by VUKA Group, AGES brings together policymakers, investors, project developers, innovators and business leaders to unlock green finance, scale bankable projects, and drive actionable solutions across energy, mobility, infrastructure, agriculture, water, waste, and the blue economy. Through high-level content, deal-making opportunities, and strategic networking, AGES turns ambition into action for Africa's green future.

About VUKA Group: 
VUKA Group brings people and organisations together to connect through platforms that drive growth and transformation across Africa's key industries. With over 20 years of experience on the continent, VUKA delivers sector-leading platforms across Energy, Mining, Mobility, Retail, Sustainability, and Women Empowerment – creating spaces where knowledge is shared, partnerships are formed, and real economic impact is achieved.

For more information, visit: www.GreenEconomySummit.com

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The organisers of DRC Mining Week, the region's longest-running and most influential mining platform, have unveiled what it will focus on in June this year, including an expanded vision for investment, industrialisation, and cross-border collaboration in the heart of Africa's mining capital.

Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo – 17–19 June 2026

DRC Mining Week, the Democratic Republic of Congo's longest-running and most influential mining platform, has officially launched its 2026 teaser brochure — unveiling an expanded vision for investment, industrialisation and cross-border collaboration in the heart of Africa's mining capital.

Taking place from 17–19 June 2026 in Lubumbashi, the event will once again convene mining operators, global investors, EPCs, OEMs, technology providers, financial institutions and government leaders shaping the future of mining in the DRC and across the continent.

As the world intensifies its focus on critical minerals, copper, cobalt and battery metals, the DRC remains central to the global energy transition. The 2026 edition builds on this momentum — shifting from conversation to implementation.

A Platform Driving Industrial Growth

The newly released teaser brochure outlines an enhanced 2026 agenda designed to address:

• Value-chain development and in-country beneficiation
• Infrastructure and power solutions for mining growth
• ESG and responsible sourcing frameworks
• Financing mechanisms and project bankability
• Regional and international partnerships

With increasing global interest from countries including China, Australia, the United States, Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the European Union, DRC Mining Week 2026 is positioned as a critical meeting point between African mineral producers and international capital.

Why 2026 Matters

The DRC produces over 70% of the world's cobalt and is Africa's largest copper producer. As industrialisation accelerates under national leadership priorities, mining stakeholders are under pressure to move beyond extraction toward sustainable, localised economic growth.

DRC Mining Week serves as the neutral business platform where:

• Mining houses meet solution providers
• Investors assess bankable projects
• Governments engage with private sector partners
• Regional operators align on infrastructure and logistics

The 2026 programme will feature high-level conference sessions, strategic roundtables, technical workshops and an international exhibition showcasing cutting-edge mining technologies and services.

Building on Legacy, Expanding Opportunity

With more than a decade of convening the sector, DRC Mining Week continues to evolve alongside the industry. The teaser brochure signals a renewed focus on:

• Attracting senior decision-makers
• Expanding international participation
• Strengthening upstream and downstream representation
• Increasing investor and EPC engagement
• Deepening collaboration across Africa's mining jurisdictions

As preparations intensify, stakeholders are encouraged to secure early participation to maximise visibility and commercial opportunity.

Download the Teaser Brochure

The 2026 teaser brochure provides a comprehensive overview of participation opportunities, sponsorship packages, exhibition options and strategic themes.

To download the brochure or enquire about participation, visit:
www.DRCMiningWeek.com

DRC Mining Week dates and venue 2026:
- Expo and conference: 17–19 June 2026
- Location: The Pullman Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Media Contact:
Jiten Ramjee
VUKA Group
jiten.ramjee@wearevuka.com

Social Media: 
Website: www.DRCMiningWeek.com    
Twitter:  https://apo-opa.co/4r8cGV5   
Facebook:  https://apo-opa.co/3N00Ez9
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/46Cdkmx

About DRC Mining Week:
DRC Mining Week is the DRC's premier mining and infrastructure platform, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, investors and technical experts to shape the future of mining in Central Africa.

About VUKA Group:
VUKA Group (https://WeAreVuka.com/) (formerly Clarion Events Africa) is a leading Cape Town-based and multi-award-winning organiser of exhibitions, conferences and digital events across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining, mobility, green economy and retail sectors. Well-known events by VUKA Group include DRC Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/4ramyxA), DRC-Critical Minerals & Industrilisation Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4rKxwuF), Nigeria Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/4uo0YZx), Enlit Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4r7jzGk), Africa's Green Economy Summit (https://apo-opa.co/407dtKV), Carbon Markets Africa Summit (https://apo-opa.co/3PbboLA), Smarter Mobility Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3Pd069F), ECOM Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4rdchAN) and CEM Africa (https://apo-opa.co/46B1CbN).