📅 Date: December 2026 (Exact Date TBC)
📍 Venue: Gauteng, South Africa
🎫 Format: In-Person Forum
CNBC Africa presents “INVESTED,” a premier pan-African platform convening global investors, policymakers, and business leaders to unlock the next phase of Africa’s economic and technological transformation. The inaugural edition will be hosted in Gauteng, South Africa, the financial and technological nerve centre of Africa and the gateway to the continent.
A Continental Investment Dialogue Begins in Gauteng
Anchored in the Gauteng City Region and aligned to the Growing Gauteng Together 2030 (GGT2030) agenda, the Forum positions Gauteng as the launch pad for a continental investment dialogue that will rotate annually across Africa. This inaugural edition will showcase both Africa’s transformative potential and Gauteng’s role as a strategic trade, investment, and innovation gateway.
The event comes at a pivotal moment for African investment. The continent attracted about US$70 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2025, according to the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2026—the third-highest level since 1990 and roughly one-third above the continent’s long-term average. However, while the number of greenfield investment projects in Africa increased, their value fell by almost one-third, suggesting broader investor engagement through smaller investments in an increasingly selective global environment.
Africa continues to attract growing investor interest in sectors that are becoming increasingly important to the global economy, including energy infrastructure, critical minerals, renewable energy, and selected manufacturing activities. The continent’s abundant reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, graphite, and platinum group metals position it at the centre of the global energy transition and the reconfiguration of international supply chains.
INVESTED 2026 will explore how to ensure this investment translates into economic diversification, technological upgrading, employment creation, and sustainable development.
Why INVESTED 2026 Matters Now
📊 Global Investment Trends Reshaping Africa
Global investment is rising again, but growth is increasingly concentrated in a narrow group of economies and capital- and technology-intensive sectors. Governments are responding with more selective policies—incentives increasingly target clean energy, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and critical minerals. This shift favours economies with strong infrastructure, skilled workers, supplier networks, and access to major markets, including Gauteng.
As the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2026 highlights, most developing countries cannot match the subsidy programmes of major economies. They need realistic entry points, stronger foundations, and regional cooperation to compete and increase investment’s development impact.
🏗️ Gauteng’s Ambitious Investment Agenda
Gauteng, South Africa’s economic heartland, is central to this conversation. The province contributes about 34% of South Africa’s GDP and drives around 60% of South Africa’s exports to the continent. The provincial government is targeting at least R200 billion in new investment commitments at its 2026 Investment Conference and aims to secure R800 billion in investments by the end of the seventh administration.
The province is focusing on high-growth sectors including advanced manufacturing, logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, green hydrogen, agro-processing, and the creative economy. It is also aligning parts of its strategy with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063 to support cross-border value chains.
What to Expect at INVESTED 2026
The Forum will convene global investors, policymakers, and business leaders for high-level discussions and deal-making. The programme will explore:
- Global Investment Trends: UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026 provides critical context for understanding the trajectory of global FDI.
- Sector-Specific Opportunities: Deep dives into energy transition, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and critical minerals.
- Gauteng’s Growth Agenda: How the province is creating a credible, bankable, and execution-focused investment environment.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Models to de-risk infrastructure investment and accelerate project delivery.
- Regional Integration: Leveraging AfCFTA to build cross-border value chains.
Event Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | INVESTED 2026 |
| Date | December 2026 (Exact Date TBC) |
| Venue | Gauteng, South Africa |
| Format | In-Person Forum |
📌 Contact Information
Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/advertise/contact-us
Speaker and Editorial: jill.devilliers@abn360.com
Learn More: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/events/all-africa-business-leader-awards-2026
Earth Focus Network at INVESTED 2026
At Earth Focus Network, we believe that environmental and social change is a collective movement. We are committed to connecting changemakers, innovators, and organizations with the resources they need to succeed. INVESTED 2026 represents a critical opportunity to understand and shape the investment landscape that will drive Africa’s sustainable development.
📧 Email us: Info@earthfocusnetwork.com
🌐 Visit us: www.earthfocusnetwork.com
