Powering Africa’s industrial Leap at the 2026 Manufacturing Indaba
November 2025
News
Over 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, yet the continent’s industrial potential is vast. The challenge is no longer just access, it’s how to power industries, create jobs and fuel digital economies for sustainable growth. The 2026 Manufacturing Indaba is set to address this critical issue, bringing together stakeholders to explore how reliable energy can unlock Africa’s industrial future.
Event Details
Dates: 14 to 15 July 2026
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
Key Highlights
• Strategic discussions: Engage with policymakers, industry leaders and innovators on strategies to scale African industrial capacity and create jobs.
• Innovative solutions: Explore cutting-edge technologies in energy, manufacturing and infrastructure development.
• Investment opportunities: Connect with global investors and trade partners to drive industrial growth.
• Policy dialogues: Discuss frameworks that empower local manufacturing and exports, aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objectives.
The role of AfCFTA in industrial growth
The AfCFTA, established to create a single market for goods and services across Africa, is pivotal in transforming the continent’s industrial landscape. By eliminating tariffs and reducing trade barriers, AfCFTA aims to:
• Boost intra-African trade: Increase intra-African trade by more than half by the end of 2025, potentially adding $450 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2035.
• Strengthen regional value chains: Facilitate the development of regional supply chains, enhancing industrial capacity and resilience.
• Attract investment: Create a more attractive investment climate by harmonising trade policies and reducing costs.
The 2026 Manufacturing Indaba is more than an event, it is the launchpad for a new era of African manufacturing where innovation, investment and regional collaboration under the African Continental Free Trade Area converge to transform the continent’s industrial potential into tangible growth, trade opportunities and shared prosperity.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-indaba
X: twitter.com/IndabaManufact
Facebook: www.facebook.com/manufacturingindaba
For more information contact Sharon Phiri, Manufacturing Indaba, +27 11 463 9184, [email protected], www.manufacturingindaba.co.za
Further reading:
Buyout model for solar investment
News
Sustainable Power Solutions has introduced a buyout model that converts existing solar and battery systems into immediate capital for South African businesses.
Read more...
Innovation award for Beckhoff’s XTS machine
Beckhoff Automation
News
The Premio Innovazione award has confirmed that Tetra Pak’s Cap Applicator 40 Speed Hyper has achieved a machine solution that pushes the boundaries of conventional packaging lines with a highly dynamic mechatronic solution based on XTS technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Vision meets reality at the Africa Automation Indaba
News
At the Africa Automation Indaba 2026, the panel ‘Automation for Africa – Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps’ will feature a rare, high-level exchange where technology, ethics, entrepreneurship and data-driven reality shape what comes next for the continent.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: A tool not a crutch
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Every year, the dictionaries try to summarise a year of human behaviour with a single word, the word of the year. You can question the value of this, but it’s quite entertaining. Words are important,
...
Read more...
Timken funds Kids Haven STEM classroom
News
A bright new chapter in digital education has begun at Kids Haven with the official opening of a fully equipped STEM classroom at the Kids Haven Village. This exciting addition was generously donated by Timken South Africa and expertly installed by Breadline Africa.
Read more...
Technology trends that will and won’t shape 2026
News
A whitepaper by ABI Research shows that a clear trend is taking shape, and 2026 is set to be characterised by practical, outcome-driven change.
Read more...
RS South Africa shapes future engineering talent
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa is demonstrating that nurturing future engineers goes beyond traditional classrooms or competitions. On STEM Day, the company shone a light on the full spectrum of its educational initiatives.
Read more...
ABB and Compu-Power bring high-efficiency UPS innovation to IS3 X-Change 2025
News
ABB recently participated in the 31st annual IS
3X-Change 2025 in Cape Town, alongside its long-standing channel partner Compu-Power.
Read more...
UKZN’s SMART lab wins aviation award
News
: The SMART Lab at UKZN was awarded first place in the Aviation Research and Development category at the Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa’s award ceremony for outstanding contributions and achievements in the aviation sector.
Read more...
Meta and partners announce completion of 2Africa subsea cable system
News
Meta, in partnership with leading global and regional telecommunications companies, has announced the completion and activation of the core 2Africa subsea cable system. This marks a historic milestone in digital infrastructure, establishing what the world’s longest open-access subsea cable system.
Read more...
printer friendly version