Africa Mines Smarter, Together 

Mining Indaba 2025, with its theme of “Future-proofing African mining”, delivered a conference filled with content that struck a balance between policy, innovation, and community, framing conversations across generations and sectors, thanks to actionable sessions, inclusive forums, and high-impact networking. 

Last year’s conference marked a significant shift, by placing indigenous peoples and local communities at the forefront of discussions, acknowledging their vital role in shaping the industry’s future. 

For the first time, representatives from these groups actively participated in key sessions, offering their perspectives on sustainable and equitable mining practices. Indaba represents a commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and strategic collaboration, aiming to position Africa’s mining industry for a resilient and prosperous future. 

The conference further addressed the complex geopolitical landscape affecting Africa’s mining sector. Discussions emphasised the continent’s strategic decisions between engaging with the US, under President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies, or aligning with the China-led BRICS group. This choice is crucial for Africa’s mineral-rich countries as they navigate global mineral demand driven by the energy transition. 

Meanwhile, getting the conference’s message out was made easy by the fact that some 400 members of the media attended the 2025 Indaba, ultimately reaching a global audience of around 1.2-billion. 

Mining Indaba 2025 was a transformative year, says Laura Nicholson, product director at Mining Indaba, with the event expanding in terms of logistics and capacity. The conference gathered 58 ministers, 1 400 government officials, 625 speakers, and more than 10 500 delegates from 122 countries. 

“Based on the 10 500 delegates who attended in 2025, we expect another record year. Over 70% of the exhibition space was sold within weeks of 2025 closing, signalling strong trust and demand. Delegates return because Mining Indaba consistently delivers value through access to dealmaking in the Investment Village, a broader Ministerial Symposium, and Partnership Spotlights where ministers and CEOs engage in solution-focused conversations.” 

As African mining enters 2026, the operating environment is becoming more volatile, not less. Climate disruption is increasingly affecting water availability, infrastructure, and production reliability, while demand for critical minerals is intensifying scrutiny on cost, safety and delivery performance. At the same time, capital providers and regulators are paying closer attention to how risk is understood and managed at asset level. 

 The future of mining 

Nicholson notes that this year’s Indaba has set as its theme “Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships”, which, she says, reflects the moment we are in, adding that mining is navigating climate imperatives, supply chain shocks, and geopolitical flux, so no single player can succeed alone.  

“The future of mining in Africa depends on how effectively we work together, so this is more than just a theme for us – it’s a call to action for the entire value chain to collaborate, innovate, and invest in Africa’s long-term growth story.” 

The 2026 edition of the event will have several key features planned, including a critical minerals programme that will explore Africa’s strategic role in the global energy transition; partnership spotlights designed to highlight candid minister and CEO dialogues; and a downstream buyers programme – connecting the automotive, aerospace, chemical, and renewable sectors to drive local beneficiation. 

“It will also offer pitstop networking, designed as a hub for organic dealmaking; industry intel, comprising interactive theatres and roundtables; a junior mining showcase, spotlighting Africa’s next generation of projects; technology showcases demonstrating how Africa can adopt and scale new technology; expanded CEO participation featuring industry leading CEOs and organisations; and enhanced community engagement, featuring legacy development, dedicated programming and cultural heritage.” 

Each element is designed to spark new partnerships, surface actionable insights, and produce measurable outcomes, she says. “Sustainability is woven through every programme, rather than being isolated as a standalone topic.” 

In fact, at this year’s Indaba, there will be a huge focus on three connected realities facing African mining operations, namely: 

■  Climate risk as an operational constraint – how physical climate impacts such as water scarcity and extreme weather are translating into production risk, cost volatility, and investor concern, and how operators can quantify value at risk to prioritise adaptation measures with tangible operational and financial impact. 

■  Digital and AI adoption under real-world conditions – where technologies such as remote operations, advanced analytics, and autonomous systems are delivering measurable improvements in throughput and safety, and where organisational readiness, infrastructure limitations, or cultural resistance continue to slow progress. 

■  Leadership and safety in more complex systems – why leadership capability and safety culture remain decisive as operations become more technologically and operationally complex, and how misalignment between people, systems, and risk controls can introduce new forms of exposure. 

In addition, says Nicholson, Mining Indaba is responding with its most ambitious youth development investment yet. The Young Professionals Programme arrives at a pivotal moment, as talent demand accelerates and the sector seeks agile, tech-enabled and sustainability-driven leaders. 

“Participation has surged by 25% year-on-year, and MI26 is expected to welcome over 600 young professionals, signalling a strong shift in youth appetite for opportunities within Africa’s mining sector.  

“To meet this momentum,  Mining Indaba has strengthened the programme through landmark partnerships designed to fast-track skills development and unlock direct pathways into the industry.” 

Apart from the youth, she suggests that the event will amplify the voices of women in mining, and community leadership, while the Ministerial Symposium will host heads of state and industry leaders to map Africa’s minerals strategy. 

“Africa is no longer just a supplier of raw materials. It holds the keys to global decarbonisation, industrialisation, and energy security. With new trade blocs forming and resource nationalism reshaping supply chains, Indaba will be the place where Africa asserts itself as a strategic partner, not a passive participant.” 

Mining Indaba 2026 must be remembered as the year African mining sets a new course, she says. “Where collaboration replaces silos, where youth voices reshape the conversation, and where technology and sustainability are not side notes, but the headline. Ultimately, what we want is for delegates to leave the event feeling as if they were part of a genuine turning point – that, for us, will be the true measure of success.”