While the event was meant to take place in Kinshasa from 7 to 8 October, the event organisers, VUKA Group, postponed the in-person Forum to 2027 to align directly with the DRC Government’s updated national policy frameworks and to allow the revised roadmaps for the $58 billion Master Plan for Industrialisation (Plan Directeur d’Industrialisation, PDI) to mature.

The digital webinar series will kick off on 23 September and run until 2027, providing convenient access to the insights, market intelligence and strategic discussions planned for the live event.

Expert speakers and moderators confirmed to participate in these webinars include:
– Edmond Cibamba Diata, Lawyer, Elite Law Firm, DRC 
– Shantha Bloemen, CEO, Mobility for Africa, Zimbabwe
– Bryan Mav, Sales Team Manager & Brand Manager, Moderne Construction, DRC
– Ghislain Kabumba Baderha, Doctoral Researcher, UOB, DRC
– Jem Kishabaga, Managing Director, Renewable Energy, DRC
– Prof. Hercule Kalele Mulonda, Technical Director, CCB and Representative of CAEB, DRC
– Marc Nyunzi Mutambala, Capital Markets Manager, FSD Africa, Kenya

The first four editions of the digital webinar series will focus on the following:

Webinar 1: 23 September 2026, 10h30–12h00

UNLOCKING THE DRC’S INDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL:  The A-to-Z masterclass strategy

The DRC masterclass examines how the nation can harness its mineral wealth for sustainable growth and industrialization. Experts will discuss policies to move beyond raw exports, enforce security and strengthen ESG standards. Priorities include local beneficiation, human capital development and tailored financing to balance global markets. By defining collaborative actions and investment pathways, the session seeks to accelerate value addition, enhance competitiveness and position the DRC as a responsible global leader in the minerals value chain.

Webinar 2: 21 October 2026, 10h30–12h00

FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE & INDUSTRIALISATION DEVELOPMENT

The panel on infrastructure and industrialisation highlights the DRC’s need to move beyond raw material extraction by focusing on local transformation. Building resilient industries will drive job creation and strengthen the economy. Experts will examine how transport, energy and logistics projects accelerate industrialisation, with case studies such as ports, railways and cross‑border initiatives. By prioritising strategic development and leveraging mineral revenues, the DRC can unlock sustainable growth and position itself as a competitive hub within the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Webinar 3: 11 November 2026, 10h30–12h00

NEW TECHNOLOGIES DRIVING THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION

This session explores how technology and ESG‑aligned investment can transform the DRC’s critical minerals sector. With global demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper rising, responsible sourcing and compliance are essential to build investor confidence. Discussions will focus on local processing, advanced metallurgical methods, renewable energy and automation to accelerate industrialisation. By shifting from raw exports to in‑country beneficiation, the DRC can strengthen sustainability, unlock long‑term value and position itself as a competitive player in the global energy transition.

Webinar 4: 25 November 2026, 10h30–12h00

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE CRITICAL MINERALS VALUE CHAIN

This discussion explores how strategic partnerships can strengthen the DRC’s critical minerals value chain. By fostering collaboration between governments, regional integration systems and investors, the focus is on building resilience and supporting sustainable growth. Key themes include industrialisation through global partnerships, prioritising sectors for development and aligning with international partners. With effective models of cooperation, the DRC can unlock socio‑economic benefits, enhance competitiveness and establish a stronger foundation for a sustainable and inclusive minerals sector.

DRC’s transition
DCMI unites government, industry and investors to accelerate the country’s transition from raw‑material extraction to high‑value manufacturing, underscoring the nation’s opportunity to convert mineral wealth into infrastructure, jobs and sustainable economic growth.

The DRC’s Ministries of Mines and of Industry and Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC) are official partners of the event.

Speaking at the Venezuela Energy Week Industry Showcase in Houston on August 19, Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao said the regulatory reforms have expanded opportunities for investors from upstream production through commercialization, while petrochemicals represent another significant area for development and production.

“We have just passed a new regulations reform that has given Venezuela opportunities for investment across the entire value chain from upstream to commercialization,” Minister Henao said, adding, “In the petrochemical sector, we have opportunities for development and production.”

The January reform and July implementing regulations have materially expanded private participation, allowing private companies to undertake primary activities through new contractual structures while giving minority partners in mixed enterprises greater operational responsibilities. The framework also introduces international arbitration and stronger economic-equilibrium protections.

Minister Henao said greater privatization would allow Venezuela to promote its fields to more prospective investors and improve commercialization, creating opportunities for companies seeking exposure to the country’s substantial underdeveloped resource base and its broader energy infrastructure requirements.

“With a stronger privatization of the sector, we have the opportunity to commercialize and promote our fields to more interested parties. This gives us a lot of advantages and maximizes our efficiency,” she said.

Venezuela is targeting a major production recovery from approximately 1.25 million barrels per day (bpd) toward a longer-term 3-million-bpd objective, requiring investment in mature-field rehabilitation, technology, oilfield services and production infrastructure.

Minister Henao stressed that this investment must extend beyond individual fields, with stronger supply chains needed to sustain production and improve project profitability. The government is therefore seeking capital across the broader ecosystem supporting upstream and downstream operations.

The Houston Showcase forms part of Venezuela’s international investment drive ahead of Venezuela Energy Week, organized by Energy Capital & Power, taking place in Caracas from February 22–25, 2027. The event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.

To sponsor and exhibit visit, https://apo-opa.co/4zwv1As

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) and pan-African advisory firm DMWA Resources will bring policy advocacy and investment advisory expertise to African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, with Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President of the AEC, and Sebastian Wagner, Founder and President of DMWA Resources, confirmed as speakers.

The AEC has established itself as the continent’s leading energy advocacy organization, working with governments, investors and operators to shape the policy frameworks that drive investment into Africa’s energy sector. The Chamber’s advocacy spans regulatory reform, local content, trade policy and the defense of Africa’s right to develop its hydrocarbon resources. In 2026, the AEC applied to intervene at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in a climate-related proceeding, arguing that energy policy on the continent should be shaped by African institutions rather than external litigation. The Chamber also continues to publish its annual State of African Energy Outlook in partnership with S&P Global Commodity Insights, which assesses upstream activity, spending patterns and energy access gaps across the continent’s 54 markets.

DMWA Resources is a pan-African energy marketing, advisory and commodities trading firm with operations spanning West, Central and Southern Africa. The firm advises national oil companies and multinational operators on upstream positioning, local content strategy and capital access, drawing on established relationships with producers and host governments across the continent. Wagner also serves as Executive Chair of the Germany Africa Business Forum (GABF), a private think tank founded in 2017 to connect German capital and industrial expertise with African energy and infrastructure opportunities.

Ayukegba’s dual role as AEC Senior Vice President and a director at DMWA Resources reflects the close link between advocacy and advisory work in Africa’s energy investment landscape, where securing the right policy conditions and connecting projects with capital partners remain closely linked priorities.

“Investment in African energy starts with getting the policy environment right,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “When you pair strong advocacy with advisory expertise that connects capital to opportunity, projects become bankable. That is the kind of leadership this platform brings together.”

AEW 2026, taking place in Cape Town from October 12-16, will provide a platform for the organizations shaping Africa’s energy investment environment to engage directly with policymakers, operators and financiers on the advocacy and advisory priorities driving the sector forward. To learn more and register as a delegate, visit https://apo-opa.co/4iRMcGN.