Investor Focus Grows Ahead of African Mining Week 2025.

Thursday 24th April 2025

Por inAfrika Reporter

African Mining Week (AMW) 2025, set for October 1–3 in Cape Town, will bring together global investors and stakeholders to explore strategies driving the continent’s mineral industrialization. The event will focus on connecting investors with impactful opportunities in Africa’s mining sector while addressing financing strategies, geopolitical shifts, and ESG priorities.

A key panel titled The Investor Perspective: Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization will examine the evolving investment landscape, analyzing mechanisms such as bank loans, private equity, venture capital, and impact investing. The session aims to unpack how diverse funding channels are enabling capital flow into Africa’s rich mining sector.

Development finance institutions are playing a central role in this transformation. The African Development Bank recently approved a $150 million loan to Mauritania’s SNIM and committed $500 million to the Lobito Corridor project, a key rail link connecting Angola, the DRC, and Zambia to global markets. Similarly, the Africa Finance Corporation has invested in multiple projects across the continent, including South Africa’s PGMs facility, the DRC’s Gecamines expansion, Botswana’s manganese development, and Sierra Leone’s gold project. Between 2014 and 2024, the AFC funneled over $1 billion into African mining.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is also increasing its footprint. Its commitments include over $750 million to the Lobito Corridor, $34 million for Angola’s Longonjo rare earths project, and $3.2 million for Zambia’s green copper development.

The global race for critical minerals, driven by the energy transition and digital economy, is shaping Africa’s mining prospects. From 2019 to 2023, UAE investments in African projects exceeded $110 billion. This year, Ambrosia Investment Holding of the UAE acquired a 50% stake in Allied Gold’s Ethiopia and Mali projects, injecting $375 million to expand gold production. Canadian investment now stands at over $37 billion, with key players including Ivanhoe Mines and Trigon Metals. Australia’s presence reached $60 billion in asset value in 2024, driven by companies such as Sovereign Metals and Atlantic Lithium.

Private placements are becoming a preferred fundraising tool for African mining companies, allowing firms to accelerate project timelines and attract targeted investor interest. Companies like Zanaga Iron Ore and Global Atomic Corporation are using this strategy to finance exploration and development phases.

As ESG factors become increasingly central to investment decisions, AMW will serve as a critical platform for engaging on sustainability metrics, transparency, and responsible investing. With stakeholders from across the globe, the event is expected to shape the future of mining investments on the continent and promote inclusive, sustainable development.