The panel highlighted the need to develop integrated mineral-processing corridors that connect resource deposits with electricity supply, transport networks and downstream industries. Speakers said processing plants must be supported by commercially viable supply chains and investment frameworks that enable countries to capture more value from their mineral resources.

Molebogeng Mazibuko, Associate Vice President and Mining Lead at Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), said multilateral finance institutions have a central role in mobilizing investment and developing infrastructure across national borders.

“The single most important element required to build a processing plant is a multilateral finance institution,” she stated, emphasizing AFC’s position between governments, policymakers and private investors.

Mazibuko said infrastructure investment must extend beyond individual projects to support broader industrial development. “When we look at a project, we don’t invest in a project in isolation, we consider what the enabling infrastructure is,” she added.

Reliable electricity is another prerequisite for expanding mineral beneficiation in Southern Africa. Abel Manumbu, Founder and Managing Director of UR Energy Limited, said adequate power supply would determine whether regional mining clusters could process minerals competitively and generate greater economic value.

“We need enough power and reliable power to ensure our nodes and clusters generate the value that they have,” he stated, highlighting electricity supply as a critical requirement for the region’s industrial development.

Shirley Webber, Managing Principal for Coverage and Head of Resources and Energy at ABSA, similarly emphasized the need to coordinate processing capacity with mineral supply and regional demand. She said facilities must have sufficient ore to operate at full capacity, supported by policies that encourage cooperation between producing countries.

“We need policies introduced to ensure not everyone builds processing plants, but that there is regional coordination and beneficiation,” Webber stated. She added that countries must work together to develop commercially sustainable processing industries.

Lungile Tom, Head of Project Finance at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, identified policy certainty and infrastructure development as priorities for attracting investment. She said governments must establish consistent regulatory frameworks while working with private investors to address transportation constraints and strengthen domestic value chains.

Tom also highlighted workforce development as essential to implementing national beneficiation strategies, calling for governments, businesses and educational institutions to collaborate on technical skills development.

The panel’s discussions underscored the importance of aligning infrastructure financing, energy supply and government policy to support Africa’s mineral-processing ambitions. Developing coordinated industrial corridors could help countries attract investment, improve regional trade and retain more economic value from their mineral resources.