Cape Town in South Africa will host one of the continent’s most anticipated power sector gatherings in just two weeks, as the Africa Energy Indaba prepares to bring together high level decision makers to chart Africa’s electricity future.
The event, scheduled for later this month in Cape Town, comes at a time when countries such as the Kingdom of Eswatini are grappling with rising electricity demand, grid expansion needs and the push for renewable integration. Organisers confirmed on 16 February 2026 that preparations are at an advanced stage, with registrations increasing steadily.
Fifteen African energy ministers are expected to attend, alongside the African Union Commissioner, representatives from Africa’s power pools, continental utilities, investors, regulators and infrastructure developers. The gathering will place policymakers and financiers under one roof to deliberate on procurement priorities, partnerships and policy direction aimed at transforming the continent’s power sector. 
For Eswatini, which relies partly on power imports through the Southern African Power Pool and continues to invest in local generation, the discussions are likely to carry direct relevance. Regional collaboration remains critical for energy security and tariff stability within the Southern African Development Community bloc.
The programme features several high level sessions. Mission 300 Day will be hosted by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Sustainable Energy for All and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The Indaba Energy Leaders Dialogue will be hosted by Pele Green Energy, while the Ministerial Roundtable will be convened by AUDA-NEPAD and GET.invest.
Delegates will also participate in the Power Pools Forum, Deep Dive Energy Forums and a dynamic exhibition showcase featuring leading energy technologies and solution providers. The South African Energy Investment Forum, hosted by the Department of Electricity and Energy, forms part of the programme.
“The Africa Energy Indaba provides a critical platform for alignment between governments, utilities, investors and solution providers. With ministerial participation at this level, meaningful dialogue can translate into tangible action,” said Liz Hart, Managing Director of the Africa Energy Indaba.
Africa’s energy gap remains one of the defining development challenges of the decade. To meet power demand, expand capacity and achieve universal electricity access by 2030, studies estimate the continent will require between US $450 billion and US $500 billion in power sector investment. This translates to roughly US $60 billion to US $65 billion per year to expand generation, transmission and access capacity.
Hundreds of millions of people across Africa still lack reliable electricity due to infrastructure shortfalls and financing constraints, particularly in clean energy. Closing these gaps is widely seen as essential for economic growth, industrialisation and energy security.
