2026 Agenda Sessions

What lessons can we learn from Guinea’s use of partnerships in realising its iron ore potential?

Guinea holds some of the largest untapped high-grade iron ore reserves in the world, particularly in the Simandou range, a deposit that has long been seen as a game-changer for the global steel industry and for West Africa’s economic future. But unlocking this potential has proven complex, with decades of delays, geopolitical entanglements, infrastructure challenges, and shifting global demand. This session will examine lessons learnt, the power of partnerships, and what lessons can be extrapolated?

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What does the retreat of majors mean for Africa’s mining landscape?

As global portfolios shift, some majors are downsizing or exiting Africa. Is this a worrying trend, or the start of a new order that allows greater African ownership of mineral wealth? What does it mean for investment, competition and technology transfer?

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Can Africa’s battery minerals market keep pace with technology shifts and global tensions?

Battery mineral markets are complex and ever changing. In a world where technological advancement can make a mineral no longer needed for a battery and geopolitical volatility can cause nations to rethink the immediate needs of the next energy transition, how can you know what mineral to invest in, and does this pose an existential threat to Africa’s critical minerals market?

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