The 2026 edition, held from 25–26 August 2026 under the theme “Powering Africa’s Industrial Transformation: Energy Systems for Value Addition and Competitiveness,” placed industrialisation at the centre of Africa’s energy agenda. Bringing together 1,086 participants from 60 countries, the Conference explored how Africa can leverage its energy resources, mineral wealth, regional markets, and emerging capabilities to strengthen industrial competitiveness, expand value addition, and create lasting economic opportunities.

FEC 2026 emphasised the need to move beyond raw resource extraction towards building domestic industries, regional value chains, and local technological capabilities. Discussions highlighted the importance of affordable and reliable energy, innovative financing, strategic infrastructure, regional integration, and inclusive participation in ensuring that Africa retains greater value from its natural resources. Through plenary sessions, 16 side events, the Innovation Challenge, and the Innovation and Investment Arena, the Conference generated action points to guide stakeholders in translating these priorities into practical steps. These include strengthening the link between energy planning and industrial policy, improving project bankability and financing arrangements, investing in regional infrastructure and value chains, developing local skills and technological capabilities, and fostering collaboration among governments, businesses, financiers, and development partners. These action points provide a basis for continued engagement and progress tracking towards Africa’s industrial transformation ahead of FEC 2027.