Driving sustainable investment in African Mining

Jacob Mbele

Director General Department of Mineral & Petroleum Resources

Mr. Jacob Mbele was appointed as the Director General of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in July 2022. He is a qualified Electrical Engineer with a master’s in business administration (MBA). His experience spans over 20 years in energy policy development, energy planning, systems integration, and operations. Prior to this current role, he held several senior positions in the public sector (former Department of Energy) as a Deputy Director-General (DDG) for Energy Programmes and Projects, Eskom and the private sector. Mr Mbele is the Co-Chair of the DG’s Economic Sectors Investment and Infrastructure Development (ESIEID) Cluster whose mandate is to focus on strategic and multi-sectoral interventions that will have a high impact on addressing the structural impediments to growth and employment creation.


2026 Agenda Sessions

Will Africa ever create the infrastructure to realise its critical minerals value addition dream

Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals position the continent as a key player in the global energy transition, yet it continues to struggle with the infrastructure needed to unlock full value. With infrastructural challenges including transport, energy and access to water, does Africa have a chance of realising its value addition dreams with the current infrastructural climate, and how can the power of partnerships help close the gap?

Wednesday 11 February 11:20 - 12:05 Ngorongoro Crater Stage (CTICC1 - Level 2)

Add to calendar 02/11/2026 11:20 02/11/2026 12:05 Will Africa ever create the infrastructure to realise its critical minerals value addition dream

Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals position the continent as a key player in the global energy transition, yet it continues to struggle with the infrastructure needed to unlock full value. With infrastructural challenges including transport, energy and access to water, does Africa have a chance of realising its value addition dreams with the current infrastructural climate, and how can the power of partnerships help close the gap?

Ngorongoro Crater Stage (CTICC1 - Level 2) Africa/Johannesburg