Africa Automation Indaba 2026 will give delegates a practical view of what it takes to move automation from ambition to implementation with a two-day programme focused on industrial readiness, skills development, policy alignment, investment realities and the future of intelligent operations.
Taking place on 13 to 14 May 2026 at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront in Cape Town, the Indaba will bring together senior industry leaders, engineers, policymakers, investors, academics and technology innovators for a focused executive forum on automation and industrial digitalisation.
The event arrives at a time when African industries are under growing pressure to modernise operations, strengthen productivity and remain competitive in a global economy increasingly shaped by automation, AI, smart manufacturing, and industrial IoT. The question for many organisations is no longer whether automation matters, but how to adopt it in a way that delivers practical, measurable and sustainable results.
Africa Automation Indaba 2026 has been curated to answer that question. Across keynote sessions, panel discussions, strategic conversations and networking opportunities, delegates will engage with the technologies, constraints and decisions shaping Africa’s automation journey.
The programme reflects the realities of the African industry rather than a generic global technology agenda. Sessions will address automation’s role in manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, talent development, policy, investment and long-term competitiveness, giving delegates both strategic context and practical insight.
A central theme is the shift from possibility to execution. The Indaba will open with official welcome remarks from the South African government and the event’s Platinum Sponsor before moving into discussions examining the relationship between automation, society and the environment. The programme will explore how automation can either reduce or reinforce inequality, depending on its implementation. It will consider the importance of responsible innovation and ethical leadership in Africa’s industrial transformation.
Delegates can also expect a strong focus on Africa’s manufacturing potential. One of the key sessions will examine how automation and local innovation can help unlock new industrial opportunities across the continent, with further discussion on how AI and automation are reshaping technological readiness and investment conditions. This practical focus continues into a high-level panel on automation for Africa, where speakers will unpack opportunities, challenges and next steps for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Policy and regulation will be an important part of the conversation, and the programme includes a dedicated discussion on policies, regulations and government incentives, reflecting the reality that automation adoption cannot scale without enabling frameworks, institutional alignment and a clear understanding of what is working in practice.
Day two shifts the focus toward readiness, foresight and execution. Sessions will explore smart manufacturing, industrial IoT and digitalisation, with a focus on whether Africa is ready. The programme will also introduce scenario planning as a tool for navigating uncertainty, helping businesses and governments think through possible automation futures and prepare more adaptive strategies.
One of the most commercially relevant sessions will examine Africa’s most likely automation scenarios and the actions required to respond to them. This interactive strategic discussion will engage both panelists and delegates, moving the conversation beyond presentation and into practical problem solving.
The skills agenda will also feature prominently. As automation changes the nature of industrial work, African organisations will need a stronger pipeline of engineers, technicians, data specialists and digitally fluent operators. The session on building Africa’s automation talent pipeline will focus on education, training pathways and the innovation ecosystems required to sustain automation-led growth and long-term competitiveness.
Investment readiness will close the loop between vision and implementation. The Indaba will include a fireside conversation on what makes an automation project bankable, examining the financial, technical and regulatory considerations that determine whether projects can attract funding, scale successfully and deliver long-term value.
The speaker lineup brings together a range of expertise. Lerato Ditshego, chief executive officer of Lerato Ditshego Presents will guide the programme as master of ceremonies, bringing clarity and cohesion to the discussions. Arthur Goldstuck, founder of World Wide Worx will provide a data-driven overview of automation and AI readiness in Africa, helping delegates understand the continent’s technological position and investment landscape. Dr Devon Hagedorn-Hansen, managing director at AMT3D will contribute to the discussion on building Africa’s automation talent pipeline, drawing on his expertise in additive manufacturing and technical skills development.
Other contributors include Professor Thuli Madonsela, director of the Centre for Social Justice at Stellenbosch University who will add an ethical and governance lens to Africa’s technological transition, and Pieter Geldenhuys, director of the Institute for Technology Strategy and Innovation who will address smart manufacturing, IIoT and digitalisation readiness. Mitch Ilbury, futurist, scenario strategist, and co-founder of Mindofafox will lead the scenario planning discussion on Africa’s future of automation.
Register today at: www.evolve.eventoptions.co.za/register/aai2026/details
Venue: Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
Dates: 13 to 14 May 2026
| Tel: | +27 10 496 3502 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.africaautomationtechnologyfair.com |
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