Water & Industrialization: Africa's Hidden Growth Driver

Africa’s manufacturing sector was entering a pivotal phase of growth, with Special Economic Zones (SEZs) emerging as key enablers of industrialisation and global competitiveness. As governments across the continent prioritised industrial policy, SEZs were playing a central role in attracting investment, clustering industries, and creating efficient, investment-ready ecosystems.Driven by rapid urbanisation, a growing consumer base, and increasing economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Africa presented a compelling opportunity for manufacturers seeking to diversify supply chains and access new markets. SEZs offered a structured environment where infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and incentives were aligned to reduce operational barriers and accelerate industrial growth.Across sectors such as agro-processing, automotive assembly, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and green industrial materials, SEZs were demonstrating how localised production could capture greater value, create skilled employment, and support export-led growth. However, unlocking their full potential required strong coordination between governments, zone developers, investors, and industrial operators, alongside reliable energy, efficient transport corridors, access to finance and a skilled workforce.Hosted by Invest Africa in partnership with DLA Piper, the webinar brought together Titus Edjua, Partner at DLA Piper, Tejaswi Avasarala, Director - Commercialisation at Lagos Free Zone, Osam Iyahen, Senior Director and Head of Infrastructure (Transport & Logistics) at Africa Finance Corporation, Amandine Ogouebandja épouse Deniel, Associate Vice President at Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), and Geoffrey White, CEO, Africa at Agility Global. The discussion explored how SEZs were shaping Africa’s manufacturing landscape, highlighting successful zone-led industrial models, investment opportunities, and the policy and partnership frameworks needed to drive long-term industrial growth.

Africa’s industrial growth story is accelerating — but water may be its most overlooked constraint.From mining and manufacturing to agro-processing and urban expansion, water availability, reliability, and governance increasingly determine which projects scale and which stall. Yet water is still too often treated as a utility issue rather than core economic infrastructure.Hosted in partnership with Mitrelli, this session convened industry, investors, and policymakers to examine how water systems can enable — rather than limit — Africa’s industrial future.Speakers:Jennifer Zabasajja, Chief Africa Correspondent & Anchor at Bloomberg Television (moderator)Mtchera Chirwa, Director, Water Development & Sanitation Department, African Development BankRodrigo Manso, CEO, MitrelliRamesh Moochikal, CEO, Africa Improved Foods

Southern Africa has a significant clean energy opportunity, underpinned by world-class renewable resources and growing demand from energy-intensive sectors such as mining and minerals processing.Renewable energy is now essential to unlocking critical minerals; however, many projects continue to stall due to coordination challenges between mining and power developments, infrastructure constraints, market and regulatory friction, and financing approaches that work for individual transactions but are difficult to replicate at scale.This session, as part of Invest Africa's Mining Series 2026 and hosted in partnership with Growth Gateway, brough together senior leaders from government, mining, energy development and finance to focus on what actually unlocks delivery. Panellists discussed where projects break down in practice, what has helped projects move forward, and how different actors can work together to support repeatable, investable outcomes. Speakers:- Hon. Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, Republic of South Africa - H.E. Antony Phillipson CMG, High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland- Dalu Ajene, CEO & Head of Coverage, Africa, Standard Chartered- Lucas Chaumontet, Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG- Jed Goldstein, Infrastructure Lead, First Quantum Minerals- Isabel Fick, Group Head of Trading and Operations, Africa GreenCo- Lisa Pinsley, Fund Head: African Transition Acceleration Fund | African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM)- Kesh Mudaly, Managing Director & Partner, BCG (moderator)

In 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) moved firmly into the global spotlight — both for its central role in supplying critical minerals essential to the global energy transition and for renewed geopolitical engagement, including U.S.-backed efforts to address longstanding conflict in the country’s east. These dynamics have driven increased international attention across mining, energy, infrastructure and broader economic opportunities.This Invest Africa webinar examined the political economy of the DRC, recent geopolitical developments, and what they mean in practice for investors and operators on the ground. Panellists explored the gap between international narratives and commercial realities, offering practical insights into risk management, capital deployment and execution across complex operating environments.The discussion focused on what matters most for establishing and scaling business in the DRC — from navigating political and security dynamics to unlocking long-term, sustainable value in mining, energy and infrastructure. The session also provided an early look at Invest Africa’s planned 2026 DRC engagement, including investor-focused dialogues and a prospective investor mission.SpeakersWelcome remarks:• Shannon Stroud, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Africa U.S.Moderator:• Joshua Walker, Program Director, Congo Research Group, New York UniversityPanellists:• Paul Hinks, Chief Executive Officer, Symbion Power & Chairman, Invest Africa (US)• Michel Losembe, Managing Director, Tshinu Consulting• Nabil Saimi, Senior Investment Director, Africa50

Central Africa enters 2026 with cautious optimism. During this webinar, speakers reflected on an uneven but improving growth outlook, with aggregate GDP expected to rise from around 3.2% in 2025 to approximately 3.4% in 2026, supported by stabilising oil prices, renewed infrastructure investment and gradual diversification beyond extractive sectors.The Central Africa Regional Outlook 2026 Webinar explored how the region can strengthen fiscal stability and build resilience amid ongoing global uncertainty. The discussion focused on several core themes:Natural resources and diversification: Panellists examined how oil-dependent economies such as Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea are seeking to balance energy exports with investment in agribusiness, timber and manufacturing to reduce exposure to commodity cycles.Infrastructure and regional connectivity: The session highlighted the importance of transport and energy corridors across the Congo Basin and the CEMAC region, including cross-border roads, energy interconnectors and digital infrastructure, in supporting trade and market access.Monetary stability and fiscal reform: Speakers discussed the role of the CFA franc peg in maintaining currency stability, alongside the need for stronger public finance management and improved domestic revenue mobilisation to address persistent fiscal pressures.Private sector and investment climate: The conversation also explored ongoing reforms in markets such as Cameroon, the DRC and Chad, and how better governance, transparency and regional cooperation can help unlock greater investor confidence.Overall, the webinar considered how Central Africa can better leverage its natural resource base, enhance infrastructure integration and deepen structural reform to attract sustainable investment and support more inclusive growth.Speakers:Olga Marysa Akin-Dina, Head of West & Central AfricaRodrigo Manso, Chief Executive Officer, Mitrelli

West Africa is at a strategic inflection point as the region transitions from commodity-led growth toward more diversified investment models. With GDP growth of 4.5% forecast for 2025, the discussion examined how this momentum can be carried into 2026 and beyond.The 2026 West Africa Regional Outlook Webinar explored how value creation can be scaled across key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and energy. Speakers discussed the implications of new oil and gas producers such as Senegal and Niger coming online, and how upstream and midstream development is reshaping regional supply chains.The conversation also focused on agribusiness and local processing, highlighting the importance of infrastructure, capital and regulatory reform in moving from raw output to higher-value production. Trade integration and logistics were examined through the ECOWAS framework, with emphasis on unlocking regional corridors across ports, rail and digital infrastructure.Finally, panellists addressed currency risk and financing challenges, sharing perspectives on innovative financing structures, de-risking mechanisms and PPP models tailored to West African markets. Throughout the session, experts evaluated how the region’s demographic and resource advantages can be converted into resilient growth and sustainable investment returns.Moderator:Bola Tinubu, Country Managing Partner, DLA Piper Africa, NigeriaSpeakers:Oludamilare Adesola, Associate Director, Control RisksRazia Khan, Chief Economist & Head of Research, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered

East Africa continues to lead Africa’s growth story. In this webinar, panellists discussed how GDP growth across the region rose from around 4.4% in 2024 to approximately 5.3% in 2025, with projections pointing toward further acceleration to around 6.1% in 2026.The session brought together regional and global perspectives to examine the key structural drivers and risks shaping East Africa’s high-growth outlook. Discussions explored the role of large-scale infrastructure investment in improving regional connectivity and trade flows across markets such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.Panellists also examined the transformation of agribusiness and value chains, the region’s growing appeal for renewable and low-carbon energy investment, and the opportunities and constraints created by East Africa’s youthful population and expanding consumer base. The conversation further addressed debt sustainability, macroeconomic imbalances and governance challenges, highlighting why credible partnerships and strong project structuring remain essential for investors.Overall, the webinar focused on how East Africa can convert its demographic, infrastructure and connectivity advantages into sustained, inclusive growth and long-term investment opportunity.Moderator:Jason van der Poel, Partner, Webber WentzelSpeakers:Robert Hutchinson, Global Head of Corporate Risk, Castor ValiHejilamanee Padachi, Senior Economist, Mauritius Commercial Bank

North Africa remains a critical economic gateway between Europe, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, with the region’s growth projected to reach 3.9% in 2026, up from 3.6% in 2025.The North Africa Regional Outlook 2026 will convened experts to examine how the region can serve as both an investment frontier and a manufacturing-export hub. Key focus areas:Diversification beyond hydrocarbons: With energy prices volatile and decarbonisation gaining traction, North Africa is accelerating renewables, logistics, manufacturing and digital-services growth.Gateway and trade hub potential: Strategically located, North Africa offers ports, transport infrastructure and industrial zones that can link Europe, Africa and the Middle East.Industrial policy and manufacturing ecosystems: Special economic zones, incentives and regional value-chain strategies (e.g., in automotive, electronics, agro-processing) are gaining momentum.Political & reform risk balance: Though the investment case is strong, challenges around governance, regulatory clarity and fiscal sustainability persist, making structuring and local partnerships vital.This webinar evaluates how North Africa can capitalise on its macro and logistical advantage to host resilient and export-oriented growth stories.

Amid intensifying global geopolitical competition and economic realignment, US - Africa relations, and the continent’s importance to Washington’s foreign policy and American investment is becoming a key focus. This is underlined by the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS), which calls for a “transition from an aid-focused relationship with Africa to a trade- and investment-focused relationship”, highlighting opportunities in strategically vital sectors such as energy and critical minerals development. As capital increasingly aligns with strategic priorities, join Invest Africa for a timely webinar, convening leading experts to examine the key drivers behind Washington’s evolving approach to the continent, and the implications of a shifting world order for trade, investment, and commercial opportunity across Africa.Featuring Aubrey Hruby, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and Co-Founder of Tofino Capital, Bethany Aquilina Brez, Acting Vice President of the Office of Foreign Policy at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Fanta Conde, Partner at CrossBoundary, Scott Eisner, Senior Vice President of BGR Group and Admassu Tadesse, Group President & Managing Director at the Trade & Development Bank, the discussion explored the U.S.–Africa intersection of geopolitics, capital flows, key sectors and opportunities, and private-sector engagement.Our panel offered practical insights on navigating Washington and beyond, helped unpack evolving risk and opportunity, and identified effective strategies for U.S. investors and companies to engage Africa and drive sustainable partnerships for growth and economic development.

Southern Africa entered 2026 in a complex terrain: while growth remained modest, regional GDP was projected to rise from 3.0% in 2025 to approximately 3.1% by 2026.The 2026 Southern Africa Regional Outlook Webinar brought together Lydia Shadrach-Razzino, Partner & Head of Corporate M&A Practice at Baker McKenzie, Rufaro Mapanda, Head of Equity Trading at Absa, and Mulenga Mutati, CEO & Head Actuary at Gralix Holdings, to explore how the region could break through structural constraints and elevate its growth trajectory.Key themes discussed included:Mining, manufacturing and industrial hubs: Against the backdrop of the global shift to clean energy, the discussion highlighted how rising demand for critical minerals, localised manufacturing and downstream processing presented new opportunities, particularly in South Africa, Zambia and Botswana.Energy reform and transition: The webinar examined how chronic power and infrastructure bottlenecks had constrained growth, and emphasised the importance of utility reform, renewable energy deployment and unlocking cross-border energy trade.Regional integration and trade corridors: Panellists explored how improved transport, port and logistics infrastructure could unlock growth by linking landlocked countries to key trade gateways and strengthening regional value chains.Governance, fiscal and currency risk: The session addressed persistent challenges such as high public debt, policy uncertainty and currency depreciation, focusing on building resilience, improving investor confidence and managing risk.The webinar focused on how Southern Africa could convert reform momentum and private-sector engagement into tangible investment outcomes.