UK-Africa Investment Summit 2026 Shifts Focus from Extraction to Beneficiation for Critical Minerals

On 11 September 2026, the 16th annual UK-Africa Investment Summit (#UKAIS2026) took place at the Horseguards Hotel and One Whitehall Place in London, UK. The theme of this 16th edition was ‘Trade Corridors and Industrial Platforms: From Access to Production’, marking a shift from securing raw critical minerals to local beneficiation.

The Summit saw the participation of 629 delegates from 31 countries, with many outside of Africa. UK High Commissioner Lisa Chesney represented the UK Government and highlighted that the UK has more than GBP one billion available via the UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the British International Investment (BII).

This year, the spotlight was on Uganda as the Strategic Growth Partner. The large Ugandan delegation was led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. Uganda presented major local value addition opportunities in the processing of coffee beans and the refining of #CriticalMinerals.

The Orom-Cross #Graphite Project could potentially put Uganda Critical Minerals World Map. Going beyond extraction, the Project developer, Blencowe Resources, has a refinery on its drawing board and the Graphite Refinery in Uganda would be a first in Africa. Other than natural resources, there were dedicated sessions on Infrastructure & Corridors and Technology & Finance.

Promota, the organizer, plans to make the next 17th edition even bigger by expanding it into a two-day event from 9 to 10 September 2027. Promota is working on a curated Deal Book for bankable projects as well as a 12-month Delivery Scorecard to keep track of the investment pipeline.

It is worth noting that other organizations, such as the AfBC and AFSIC, also hold annual UK-Africa Business Conferences in London. The City of London seeks to capitalize on its reputation as a global financial center to bolster capital mobilization into Africa.