The delegation, comprising Inner City Regeneration Programme Manager Lungelo Buthelezi and Nomalanga Sokhela from the Economic Development Directorate, engaged global shipyards, captains, manufacturers and investors.  

They were supported on the ground by Brian Ngiba, Managing Director of Ziziba Holdings, Navigo’s strategic local partner. 

A major highlight of the visit was the ceremonial handover of the Letter of Intent (LOI) between eThekwini Municipality and Navigo, custodians of the YARE programme and widely regarded as the global leader in superyacht destination development. 

The LOI, signed by eThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele, was formally presented by Buthelezi to Navigo President Katia Balducci at a high-profile event attended by industry leaders and international media in Viareggio, Italy. 

Through this partnership, Navigo has confirmed its commitment to mobilise significant private-sector investment towards Durban’s superyacht infrastructure and refit capabilities, with projected investment estimated at over R1.9-billion. 

The delegation also extended formal invitations to over 100 superyacht captains and more than 100 global yacht manufacturers to attend the YARE Symposium to be held in Durban in November this year.  

Durban will become the first African city ever to host this globally recognised event. 

Sentiments from shipyards and captains have been positive, signalling strong confidence in Durban’s emerging value proposition and market potential. 

The anticipated economic impact of this partnership is significant. Projections indicate that more than 2,500 direct jobs could be created by 2030 across marine engineering, refit services, advanced manufacturing and tourism. 

Parallel to this, eThekwini and the Durban University of Technology are advancing plans for Africa’s first Professionalised Superyacht Academy, which will train young South Africans in high-demand skills such as welding, marine engineering and advanced composites fabrication. 

Throughout the visit, from 8 to 16 March, Durban’s delegation held strategic engagements with senior executives from leading shipyards.  

The City’s proposed superyacht precinct, located on a 24-hectare site within the Port of Durban, was presented as a compelling and competitive offering for future investment.

In terms of the TNPA Ship Repair Strategy, this site is specifically reserved for the refit market, which includes superyacht servicing and maintenance, a key selling point for international investors. 

Reflecting on the historic moment, Buthelezi said that presenting the signed LOI to Navigo’s leadership on behalf of the City Manager was an honour, adding that the ceremony signalled Durban’s readiness and unwavering commitment to establishing a world-class superyacht ecosystem. 

Navigo President Katia Balducci affirmed the organisation’s confidence in Durban, stating: “This partnership represents the beginning of a historic chapter for Africa’s participation in the global superyacht industry. Durban has the vision, the infrastructure and the commitment to succeed.”

The Municipality is now moving into the next phase of implementation. Preparations are underway to host the YARE Symposium in Durban this November, alongside detailed planning for the proposed superyacht precinct. 

Strengthening Durban’s ocean economy

Participation in international platforms such as YARE – Yachting Aftersales & Refit Experience forms part of eThekwini Municipality’s broader strategy to grow the city’s ocean economy and attract global investment into the maritime sector.

By building strategic relationships with industry leaders and investors, Durban aims to unlock new opportunities for marine manufacturing, tourism development, skills transfer and job creation.

As the global superyacht industry continues to expand, Durban’s engagement with YARE demonstrates the city’s commitment to strengthening its position as a competitive maritime destination and a future hub for superyacht services in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contact the team!

International superyacht builders, refit specialists and global marina developers should contact Invest Durban as soon as possible to discuss opportunities in Durban.

The GEP Manufacturing Support is a finance product aimed at supporting Gauteng-based SMMEs in manufacturing and its subsectors. 

The product is a targeted financial support instrument aimed at bolstering the productive capacity of Gauteng-based SMMEs operating within the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing is a high-value, high-growth sector with great potential to drive industrialisation and promote sustainable economic growth that stimulates job creation .

As a precursor to the Gauteng Investment Conference (GIC) 2026, the GEP Manufacturing Support is positioned as a strategic pipeline mechanism to support SMMEs in scaling up and enhancing their competitiveness.

It is central to the core principles of the GIC 2026, which promote large-scale investment commitments from private and multinational investors into manufacturing projects for Gauteng. This accelerates economic growth and recognises Gauteng as a critical manufacturing hub for South Africa and the African continent.

The Manufacturing Support is a term loan facility of up to R5-million, specifically designed to support enterprises that are at least fifty-one percent (51%) black owned.

Gauteng Investment Conference 2026

Get ready for the Gauteng Investment Conference, where ideas meet opportunity, investment drives growth, and partnerships shape the future of Gauteng’s economy.

South Africa’s informal economy is often described as invisible, but its impact is anything but. From spaza shops to street-side food vendors, the informal sector employs up to 42% of our workforce and contributes as much as 6% of GDP, according to recent estimates. Valued at between R750-billion and R1-trillion, the township and informal economy have become a quiet giant, keeping millions fed, employed, and connected.

And yet, it remains one of the most precarious sectors of our economy. Traders navigate red tape, displacement, lack of infrastructure, unsafe conditions, and limited access to finance. Nearly 60% of informal workers earn below R3 500 per month, often without access to credit, insurance, or even basic storage facilities. For too long, informal traders have been seen as survivalists rather than entrepreneurs, despite many building businesses that have sustained families and communities for decades.

If we want to redesign the future of South African cities, we must start by redesigning how we support our informal traders. In Cape Town’s Bellville CBD, the metro’s second-largest economic hub, more than 200 permitted informal food traders line the streets around the bustling transport interchange. Many of these traders have operated for over 20 years, with more than 150 serving nutritious, affordable meals to over 50 thousand daily commuters. There are also close to 1000 unpermitted traders, working to put food on the table, all part of the city’s economic heartbeat.

Yet their reality is fraught with challenges. Traders often work in makeshift, weather-beaten structures that are neither hygienic nor secure. They face displacement by law enforcement for non-compliance with strict bylaws, and the daily costs of assembling, dismantling, and transporting stock eat into already slim margins.

This is where Bellville is stepping forward as a living laboratory for innovation.

The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP), together with the South African Urban Food and Farming Trust (SAUFFT), AfriFOODlinks and design collaborators, is piloting co-designed trading prototypes, new mobile and stationary structures built to be safe, hygienic, functional and compliant.

These prototypes go beyond physical design. They are about dignity, opportunity, and urban renewal. By designing weatherproof, lockable, and mobile units, we can reduce the daily burden of setup and transport. They integrate with municipal water and waste systems, addressing public health concerns while allowing traders to operate in clean, sustainable environments.

By reducing conflict with law enforcement and ensuring compliance with food safety standards, these structures allow traders to focus on what they do best: running businesses that feed the city.

Most importantly, we must recognise informal traders as entrepreneurs. Many traders have been in business for over a decade, responding to market demand and contributing to a symbiotic relationship with commuters and surrounding formal businesses. With the right infrastructure, they can thrive as legitimate business operators and not merely survive on the margins.

Many traders have been in business for over a decade, responding to market demand and contributing to a symbiotic relationship with commuters and surrounding formal businesses.

Informal trade as a driver of urban renewal

The truth is that supporting informal traders is not charity, and the informal economy is often not well understood. It is sound urban and economic policy. The informal sector is the fifth-largest employment provider in Cape Town and a critical contributor to the national economy. By investing in its infrastructure, cities strengthen their resilience, improve food security and promote inclusive growth.

There is a renewed effort to better understand the informal sector, with deeper work under way to identify the needs of informal traders and develop environments and infrastructure that support their growth. The CoCT Executive Mayor Geordin Hill‑Lewis, supports the informal economy and often stresses credibility, legality and opportunity, framing informal activity as something to be integrated into the city’s growth rather than suppressed.

The Bellville initiative shows that urban regeneration and informal trade are complementary as opposed to opposing forces. By providing fit-for-purpose structures, we enable informal markets to coexist with transport hubs, formal retail and public spaces in a way that is safe, efficient and mutually beneficial.

Whether in a small township market or a bustling inner-city CBD, the challenges traders face are strikingly similar, based on the GTP informal traders 2019 survey: weather proofing, storage, hygiene, ablution, security, parking and compliance. Models like this offer a replicable solution that could be adapted for Durban, Johannesburg, or even cities elsewhere on the continent.

At a national level, South Africa is already moving towards simplifying regulation, integrating digital payments and supporting SMMEs through innovative financing. By coupling these policy shifts with practical, community-driven design solutions, we can unlock the full potential of the informal economy.

The informal sector is not a problem to be managed but an opportunity to be embraced. By reimagining trading spaces, we acknowledge the crucial role informal traders play in our economy and our daily lives. We give them dignity, security and opportunity.

The question is not whether we can afford to invest in informal traders. The question is whether we can afford not to.

Bellville may be the starting point, but the vision is bigger, for a South Africa where informal traders are seen as entrepreneurs, where cities are designed to include rather than exclude, and where the informal economy is recognised not as an afterthought, but as a cornerstone of sustainable urban development.

The question is not whether we can afford to invest in informal traders. The question is whether we can afford not to.

About GTP

The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) is the go-to, trusted, and connected urban specialist, leading lasting change. Established in 2012 as an independent not-for-profit company, GTP collaborates with community members to co-create and innovate—building a renewed sense of belonging, giving hope and creating better places people are proud of. Because it’s more than a place!

Through area promotion, placemaking, economic growth, and environmental sustainability, we improve failing infrastructure, creatively enhance public spaces, upskill youth, create job opportunities, support community businesses, and reduce environmental harm by changing systems and behaviour. Bellville is proof of our impact—a living laboratory where GTP’s methods are trialled, tested and proven.

Also read:

Bellville’s award-winning Buy-Back Centre is a new model for SA’s unemployment crisis

Positioning the Northern Cape as the new growth front for South Africa, the event intends to help unlock investment in the vast untapped natural resources of the province, these include minerals and renewable energy resources.

The conference will be hosted by the Northern Cape Premier, Dr. Zamani Saul, and the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Ms. Venus Blennies-Magage, together with leading industry partners.

“The Northern Cape is a competitive, investment-ready province committed to economic transformation and job creation. The province continues to record significant achievements across key sectors and remains firmly committed to improving service delivery and bettering the lives of its people,” says Dr. Zamani Saul.

The province aims to catalyse the creation of over 60,000 sustainable new jobs in the next three years through investment and development of the mining, renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, tourism and manufacturing sectors. This job creation target is closely aligned with both the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) and the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) Vision 2040, underscoring the province’s proportional contribution to the nation’s broader employment objectives.

A new growth front

The Northern Cape’s rich mineral resources position the region as a new growth point for rare earth mineral mining. With billions already invested in manganese, iron ore and diamond mining and associated value chains, there remain significant untapped opportunities for mining and beneficiation of lithium and other rare earth minerals. The province has the potential to become one of the world’s largest and lowest cost new producers of minerals that are needed for smartphones, lithium batteries and other products.

Highlighting the province’s growth potential, the Industrial Development Corporation recently announced more than R300-million in funding for the Frontier Rare Earths Project in the Northern Cape.

The province is also a hub of the Southern African renewable energy sector and hosts half of the country’s major solar and wind farm installations. However, significant future growth opportunities exist for grid expansion and battery storage projects, as well as for green hydrogen, ammonia and power-to-X (P2X) projects.

“Our province produces nearly three times more renewable energy than it consumes, accounting for more than 60% of the country’s renewable energy projects,” says Dr. Saul.

Industrialisation and logistics also represent key growth areas. With over R100-billion in anticipated investment, industrialisation of the Northern Cape could encompass mining, energy, minerals beneficiation, agro-processing and logistics, and manufacturing.

Driven by major infrastructure projects including the Boegoebaai deep water port and Upington special economic zone and dry port, key opportunities exist for enhancing trade routes to Namibia, servicing massive manganese and iron ore mining operations, and transport, cold chain and logistics for agro-processing. Tourism integration and agriculture and agro-processing also offer high-value investment opportunities. 

Unpacking key opportunities

The Northern Cape Investment and Jobs Conference will bring together local and international investors; the diplomatic corps; provincial, national and local government; business and industry leaders; academia and community stakeholders in Kimberley from 13 – 15 April 2026 for talks on investment and development opportunities and the way forward.

In plenary sessions and panel discussions, speakers will unpack topics such as:

• why the Northern Cape represents the future of South African economic growth;
• mining opportunities, future minerals, and value chain beneficiation;
• the Northern Cape as Africa’s renewable energy hub;
• critical infrastructure and logistics enablement;
• the development of transport corridors, integrating tourism into industrial development strategies;
• building resilient agricultural ecosystems; and
• pathways for Northern Cape industrialisation.

For more information about the conference and to register your interest in participating, please visit https://ncijc.org.za or contact: sandra@blueberryconcepts.co.za

Below are ten reasons why the ELIDZ presents a compelling environment for industrial investment.

1. Plug-and-play industrial land

Investors at the ELIDZ gain access to fully serviced, development-ready industrial land, with bulk infrastructure already in place. This means no delays, no hidden capital expenditure, and no servicing risks when establishing operations, providing a ready platform for industrial development.

2. Strategic automotive port access

The ELIDZ is located close to a dedicated automotive port. With automotive berth access, lower congestion, and faster turnaround times, manufacturers benefit from more efficient logistics and export movement. Location continues to play a critical role in industrial competitiveness.

3. A deep automotive skills base

East London is home to one of South Africa’s most mature automotive labour pools. Decades of OEM manufacturing expertise, combined with an MBSA-trained workforce and a strong pipeline from WSU and TVET institutions, contribute to a skilled and experienced workforce, supporting the continued growth of automotive manufacturing.

4. An established supplier network

The ELIDZ operates within a ready-made ecosystem of component manufacturers, logistics providers, and service companies. This established network helps reduce operational risk, retraining costs, and supply chain realignment for manufacturers, strengthening the industrial value chain.

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5. Strong government coalition

Investment within the ELIDZ is supported by collaboration between ELIDZ, DEDEAT, Buffalo City Metro, the Provincial Treasury, Transnet Port, and the DTI. This coalition works to unlock incentives, accelerate approvals, and de-risk investment, creating a coordinated approach to industrial development.

6. Green energy and smart manufacturing

The ELIDZ supports reduced energy costs and carbon footprint reduction, while enabling smart factory readiness, EV innovation, and green logistics solutions. This positions manufacturers for a more sustainable future.

7. A proven automotive zone

The ELIDZ has built a 20-year track record hosting Mercedes-Benz Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, supporting export-focused manufacturing. This experience contributes to the Zone’s global credibility in automotive production.

8. Supporting localisation

Through the ELIDZ Manufacturing Incubator, enterprise development programmes support opportunities linked to the Geely value chain. Structured incubation programmes help strengthen local participation within the manufacturing sector.

9. Improving project economics

The ELIDZ provides access to a structured package of automotive and SEZ incentives designed to support investment, localisation, and export competitiveness. These incentives help strengthen the business case for industrial investment.

10. A de-risked investment environment

The ELIDZ provides investors with a proven industrial platform and a mature operating environment. This helps reduce ramp-up complexity and lowers transition risk when establishing operations, offering a practical pathway for industrial investment.

Connect with the ELIDZ team to explore available opportunities and join a growing manufacturing ecosystem. Visit www.elidz.co.za or contact 043 702 8200 to learn more about investment opportunities.

Here are 10 more compelling reasons to establish your business in the East London IDZ!

Recognized as one of the most important international platforms dedicated to the superyacht refit and aftersales sector, the event connects shipyards, captains, yacht managers and marine service providers through structured networking meetings, technical discussions and industry forums focused on innovation, sustainability and the future of yacht servicing.

Building on Durban’s strong presence in 2025

Durban’s presence at the 2026 event builds on the momentum established during YARE – Yachting Aftersales & Refit Experience 2025, where Invest Durban played a highly visible role in promoting the city as a strategic superyacht destination.

During the 2025 event, Invest Durban sponsored the prestigious Gala Dinner, one of the key networking highlights of the programme, bringing together superyacht captains, shipyards and global industry leaders. The sponsorship provided a unique opportunity to position Durban within high-level industry discussions and to showcase the city’s potential as a marine services hub.

In addition to the sponsorship, Invest Durban’s brand presence was prominently displayed through event banners and promotional material, significantly enhancing the city’s visibility among international participants attending the event from across the global yachting industry.

Advancing international investment partnerships

A key outcome of the 2025 engagement was the signing of a mutual Letter of Intent (LOI) aimed at fostering cooperation and promoting foreign direct investment opportunities into Durban’s marine sector.

The agreement focuses on attracting investment from international superyacht builders, refit specialists and global marina developers, supporting Durban’s ambitions to expand its maritime infrastructure and strengthen its role within the international superyacht ecosystem.

For Durban, this partnership represents an important step toward developing world-class facilities that can support visiting superyachts through refit, repair and maintenance services while also creating opportunities for marina development and associated tourism infrastructure.

Positioning Durban within the global refit market

The superyacht refit sector continues to experience strong global growth, representing a significant portion of industry activity and offering opportunities for cities with the right infrastructure, technical skills and strategic location.

Durban’s geographic position along key Indian Ocean cruising routes, combined with the capabilities of the Port of Durban, provides a strong foundation for developing a competitive superyacht servicing ecosystem in the Southern Hemisphere.

Through participation in YARE – Yachting Aftersales & Refit Experience 2026, the Invest Durban delegation is actively engaging with global industry leaders to:

• Promote Durban as an emerging superyacht refit and maintenance destination
• Strengthen partnerships with international shipyards and marine service providers
• Encourage foreign direct investment in marina infrastructure and marine manufacturing
• Position Durban as a gateway to the African and Indian Ocean yachting markets

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Strengthening Durban’s ocean economy

Participation in international platforms such as YARE – Yachting Aftersales & Refit Experience forms part of eThekwini Municipality’s broader strategy to grow the city’s ocean economy and attract global investment into the maritime sector.

By building strategic relationships with industry leaders and investors, Durban aims to unlock new opportunities for marine manufacturing, tourism development, skills transfer and job creation.

As the global superyacht industry continues to expand, Durban’s engagement with YARE demonstrates the city’s commitment to strengthening its position as a competitive maritime destination and a future hub for superyacht services in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contact the team!

International superyacht builders, refit specialists and global marina developers should contact Invest Durban as soon as possible to discuss opportunities in Durban.

Gauteng is set to manufacture high-value products capable of penetrating global markets, by implementing a sophisticated, multi-tier Special Economic Zone (SEZ) strategy.

By leveraging the specific regional strengths of the five development corridors, the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) is transforming the Gauteng City Region (GCR) into a production engine.

The OR Tambo SEZ serves as the forerunner for this export-oriented vision.

Stationed around Africa’s largest air cargo hub, it provides the infrastructure for advanced manufacturing and beneficiation. With a world-class Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct already operational and one of the world’s largest food factories driving fresh-product exports since 2019, it proves that Gauteng can dominate high-growth niches.

Further south, the Vaal SEZ is steering industrial regeneration. By attracting R2-billion in investment toward the hydrogen value chain and renewable energy components, it is building on the region’s historic steel and engineering skills base to meet the “Green Economy” demand.

The Automotive Supplier Park in Rosslyn remains the standard for OEM support, ensuring that the automotive sector retains its continental lead. In the West Rand, where mining output has slowed, new SEZ planning is diversifying the economy into bus manufacturing, agri-voltaics and pharmaceutical hemp.

These Special Economic Zones create an ecosystem where previously excluded citizens gain access to global value chains. By focusing on areas like avionics, battery energy storage, and New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), Gauteng is ensuring its re-industrialisation is tech-savvy and socially inclusive.

In addition, The Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) has launched the Manufacturing Support product, a term loan facility providing up to R5-million to help black-owned SMMEs scale their production capacity. This initiative directly supports the province’s re-industrialization strategy by transforming high-growth manufacturing businesses into competitive industrial players.

As a strategic precursor to the Gauteng Investment Conference (2026), the fund acts as a pipeline to prepare local enterprises for large-scale private and multinational investment. By focusing on this high-value sector, the GEP aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth and significant job creation across the city region.

Ultimately, the program reinforces Gauteng’s position as a critical manufacturing hub for both South Africa and the broader African continent. The transition from a passive consumption hub to an agile production powerhouse is Gauteng’s current reality.

Gauteng Investment Conference 2026

Get ready for the Gauteng Investment Conference, where ideas meet opportunity, investment drives growth, and partnerships shape the future of Gauteng’s economy.

The iZinga Balwin Development is situated in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The site covers a gross area of approximately 107 ha.​
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The development will have a profound effect on Durban’s housing market, providing affordable housing in an affluent area that was previously reserved for the wealthy and largely unattainable to the majority of the​ community.​
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The development will incorporate a school with a sports centre, which will include padel courts, soccer fields, gyms, a swimming pool as well as a retail​ centre including a restaurant, fuel station and convenience store.

Current progress

• iZinga Eco Estate – Phase 1 – in progress
• iZinga Eco Estate – Phase 2 – in planning
• iZinga Lifestyle Center – in planning
• iZinga Views – in planning

Next steps

• Construction of the upgrades to Herrwood Drive to start in September 2025
• De-silting of exiting sewer line to Ohlanga pump station to accommodate full development flows
• Construction of the extension of Herrwood Drive to the N2 as well as an underpass and on/off ramps onto the N2
• Construction of the extension of Preston Drive and the intersection of Preston Drive

Project info

• Investor: Balwin Properties
• Investment value: 6.14-billion
• Construction period: 2020 – 2030

Contact project promoter

Investment opportunities in Durban

Invest Durban act as a partnership between the Metro City Council and the private business sector, offering a free investor advisory service, plus key promotion, facilitation, aftercare services between all investment stakeholders.

The East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) is advancing the digital economy in the Eastern Cape through secure, scalable and locally hosted ICT infrastructure designed to support enterprise operations, government digitisation and technology-driven investment. 

At the core of this offering is the ELIDZ Data Centre, a state-of-the-art facility designed on Tier III principles, providing highly available, resilient infrastructure for organisations requiring secure digital environments and reliable data hosting. 

The facility enables organisations to host data locally, strengthen cybersecurity, and ensure operational continuity while complying with national information governance and data management standards. 

A strategic digital infrastructure platform 

The ELIDZ Data Centre forms part of a broader digital infrastructure ecosystem designed to support enterprise operations, government digital transformation, and technology-enabled industries. 

Key infrastructure features include: 

• Tier III-aligned data centre design: Designed for 99.982% uptime, ensuring continuity of operations for mission-critical systems.  
• Secure local data hosting: Supports data sovereignty and compliance with regulatory frameworks, providing organisations with secure and locally hosted infrastructure. 
• Carrier-neutral connectivity: High-speed fibre connectivity from multiple providers enabling resilient, high-performance digital operations.  
• Scalable infrastructure capacity: The facility is designed to expand as demand grows, supporting long-term digital infrastructure requirements. 

International security standards 

ELIDZ operates under internationally recognised information security frameworks including ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018, ensuring strong governance and cloud security standards. 

ELIDZ ICT Service Portfolio 

ELIDZ provides integrated ICT solutions designed to support operational resilience, data protection and digital transformation. 

• Data centre co-location: Secure rack hosting within a high-availability facility designed for enterprise and government workloads. 
• Private cloud services: Scalable and secure cloud environments that support modern digital operations. 
• High-speed fibre connectivity: Reliable network connectivity enabling seamless data transmission and digital communication. 
• Telephony and internet services: Robust communications infrastructure for enterprise and institutional clients. 
• Backup and disaster recovery (BaaS & DRaaS): Business continuity solutions designed to protect critical systems and data. 
• Managed ICT services: 24/7 infrastructure monitoring, technical support and proactive ICT management. 

Enabling the Eastern Cape’s digital economy 

ELIDZ’s investment in digital infrastructure supports broader economic objectives including government digitisation, enterprise innovation, investment attraction and technology sector growth. 

By providing secure, locally hosted digital infrastructure, ELIDZ is helping position the Eastern Cape as an emerging digital services and technology hub. 

Partner with ELIDZ digital infrastructure 

Organisations seeking secure, resilient and scalable ICT infrastructure are invited to engage with ELIDZ to explore tailored digital solutions. 

Tel: +27 (0) 43 702 8200 | E: ictsales@elidz.co.za 
Visit: www.elidz.co.za  

Also see:

ELIDZ: A cost-effective base for scaling digitally-oriented business operations
Invest in the ELIDZ ecosystem: Innovation, Impact and Inclusion

Recognised as Africa’s premier energy event, the Africa Energy Indaba once again served as a strategic platform for high-level dialogue, investment engagement and practical solutions aimed at advancing Africa’s energy future.

A highlight of the 2026 Indaba was the Presidential Keynote Address delivered by H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa, underscoring the importance of energy security, infrastructure development and regional cooperation in unlocking Africa’s economic potential. 

Addressing delegates from across the global energy ecosystem, President Ramaphosa emphasised that Africa’s abundant natural resources — including solar, wind, hydropower, gas and critical minerals — position the continent to become a competitive energy producer while meeting its development needs. 

The President also highlighted that more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, reinforcing the urgency of accelerating investment in energy infrastructure and innovation across the continent. 

Major announcements and strategic developments

The 2026 Africa Energy Indaba delivered several important announcements and partnerships that underscore the event’s role as a catalyst for energy investment and collaboration.

Mission 300 commitment expanded

As part of Mission 300 Day during the Indaba, The Rockefeller Foundation announced an additional US$10 million in support of Mission 300, the ambitious initiative led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

The announcement reinforced the growing momentum behind Mission 300 and highlighted the importance of global partnerships in addressing Africa’s energy access gap.

Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement

During the Nuclear Forum, South Africa’s Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and Russia’s Rosatom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in nuclear skills development, training and research.

The partnership supports South Africa’s nuclear expansion ambitions and focuses on developing the next generation of nuclear professionals, promoting women’s participation in the sector and advancing collaborative research programmes.

Global Nuclear Capacity Commitment

A further milestone of the Nuclear Forum was the signing of the Declaration to Triple Global Nuclear Capacity by 2050, in collaboration with the World Nuclear Association. The declaration reflects growing international recognition of nuclear power as a critical component of global energy security and decarbonisation strategies.

Advancing continental infrastructure and investment

A key highlight of the Indaba was the Ministerial Roundtable on the Africa Ten-Year Infrastructure Investment Plan for Cross-Border Interconnectivity (TYIIP).

The roundtable focused on accelerating priority transmission and power infrastructure projects across the continent, strengthening project preparation mechanisms, improving cross-border coordination and mobilising both public and private investment to enable regional energy integration.

Energy leaders emphasised that cross-border interconnectivity and regional power pools will be essential to delivering reliable and affordable electricity across Africa.

South African energy investment opportunities

The Indaba also hosted the South African Investment Forum, hosted by the Department of Electricity and Energy, which profiled a range of investment opportunities in South Africa’s evolving energy sector.

The forum provided investors with insights into new projects across renewable energy, transmission infrastructure, gas-to-power developments, nuclear energy expansion and emerging technologies.

A Platform for strategic energy dialogue

The Africa Energy Indaba 2026 brought together energy stakeholders to explore pathways for:

• Strengthening energy security and resilience across Africa
• Accelerating energy investment and project development
• Advancing regional power integration and cross-border infrastructure
• Supporting Africa’s just and inclusive energy transition
• Unlocking the potential of gas-to-power, renewables, storage and grid expansion

Government leaders, development finance institutions, utilities, private sector companies and technology innovators participated in a series of high-level discussions, ministerial roundtables and industry forums.

Key outcomes and strategic discussions

Among the key themes and outcomes emerging from the 2026 Indaba were:

Energy investment acceleration

Delegates emphasised the need to significantly increase investment in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to meet Africa’s rapidly growing energy demand.

Regional integration and infrastructure development

Ministers and industry leaders highlighted the importance of strengthening regional power pools and cross-border interconnectors to improve reliability and unlock continental energy markets.

Energy transition aligned with industrial growth

A central message from the conference was that Africa’s energy transition must support industrialisation, job creation and economic development while advancing sustainability goals. 

Strategic role of Natural Gas

The Africa Gas Forum reinforced the role of natural gas as a transition fuel capable of supporting electricity generation, industrial growth and energy stability across the continent.

Public–Private Partnerships

Strong emphasis was placed on collaboration between governments, investors and development partners to accelerate project implementation and mobilise large-scale energy financing.

Africa’s Energy Future

The Africa Energy Indaba continues to play a critical role in shaping the continent’s energy policy landscape and investment pipeline.

By convening key decision-makers and global stakeholders, the Indaba provides a platform where energy deals begin, partnerships are formed and practical solutions are developed to address Africa’s most pressing energy challenges.

As Africa’s energy demand grows and the global energy transition accelerates, the Africa Energy Indaba remains committed to driving dialogue, collaboration and investment that will power the continent’s future.