As preparations begin for the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2027, the event is sharpening its focus on how partnerships across African mining translate into practical outcomes and investment decisions.

South Africa’s Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe says the Mining Indaba, which will be held in Cape Town from February 8 to 11, 2027, is a critical platform for building and advancing partnerships, while unlocking investment.

“Through this platform, we have seen how dialogue translates into concrete action that supports growth, industrialisation and shared prosperity across the continent,” he states.

In line with an evolving vision, while continuing the momentum started this year, the theme for Mining Indaba 2027 is “Stronger together: Partnerships in practice”.

“This marks the next step in a deliberate three-year journey. Mining Indaba 2026 introduced a renewed industry focus on partnerships as the foundation for growth and collaboration. In 2027, that focus shifts decisively toward partnerships in practice, activating those relationships to unlock capital, enable policy and drive real project delivery across the sector,” Mining Indaba industry director Laura Nicholson says.

While Mining Indaba 2026 introduced the partnerships concept, Mining Indaba 2027 will drive the next phase of industry collaboration, moving partnerships from concept to action. The Mining Indaba 2028 phase will focus on measuring the impact of partnerships.

Mining Indaba 2026 drew the largest attendance in the event’s 32-year history. It attracted 12 000 delegates from 119 countries, including more than 1 600 investors, 1 700 executives and over 40 government Ministers, underscoring the event’s growing role as a convening force for decision-makers across the sector.

Mining Indaba executive advisory board chairperson Frans Baleni says the ultimate goal is to ensure the partnerships forged at Mining Indaba translate into tangible results.

“Execution is what will shape the competitiveness and resilience of African mining,” he comments.

HUMAN PARTNERSHIPS
People remain at the centre of mining and Mining Indaba is fully committed to the human connections that underpin the sector. The 2027 programme will continue to create space for meaningful engagement through exhibition areas, investor and mining company meetings, networking opportunities, community platforms and a high-level government programme.

“People become involved in mining because they have a passion for it. The way to amplify partnerships in our sector is by creating platforms that celebrate that human passion,” says Nicholson.

TURNING STRATEGY INTO EXECUTION
Mining Indaba’s convening power is increasingly critical, as African governments and industry leaders look to build stable policy, investment certainty and stronger public-private collaboration.

The number of government Ministers attending the event has grown from about 14 in 2024 to more than 40 – proof of a growing appreciation for mining as a growth engine for the continent.

Reinforcing this view, the Africa Finance Corporation has estimated that the continent is sitting on an $8.6-million strategic minerals opportunity.

In the spirit of turning partnerships into action, Mining Indaba 2026 saw several major deals being done on the sidelines of the event. These included a critical minerals memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between US trader Metalex Commodities and African energy business Anzana Electric Group; the signing of a pact between Afreximbank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa to scale trade finance, de‑risk transactions and accelerate critical minerals beneficiation; an MoU between resources multinational ERG Africa and Entreprise Générale du Cobalt of the Democratic Republic of Congo to formalise artisanal cobalt mining; Anglo American confirming its investment of an additional R200-million into the Junior Mining Exploration Fund, bringing total funding to R600-million; Namibia signing on to the Luanda Accord to support the natural diamond sector; and a R100-million infrastructure agreement between Valterra Platinum, Roads Agency Limpopo and other mining partners.

“Mining Indaba continues to expand its relevance to mining-adjacent industries that represent a larger ecosystem that collectively drives greater African economic growth. Never before has an event brought all of these key stakeholders together – starting with exploration and extending through to manufacture and local value-addition opportunities.

"This of course is all underpinned by strategic alignment between mining companies, government and investors as the core audiences that will drive this, all while ensuring impacted stakeholders like mining communities also become meaningful participants in the future. Senior role players, from all these industry sectors are able to make major investment and policy calls that turn partnerships into real, positive change – for the industry, and society,” Nicholson says.