African Mining Week will be hosting a dedicated Women in Leadership Forum, as the conference spotlights gender inclusivity and the role of women in driving Africa’s mining transformation.
The three-day event, held from 1-3 October 2025, serves as a platform for exploring mining opportunities across the continent and is held alongside African Energy Week in Cape Town.
As women are taking on an increasingly influential role in the mining industry, the forum will bring together female executives from across the mining value chain and connect them with global investors, strategic partners and emerging mining opportunities.
Energy Capital & Power says the Women in Leadership Forum will also highlight how women are not only contributing to the industry, but actively redefining it for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
In celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day, Mining.com.au previously revealed that women account for nearly half of the global entry-level positions in the workforce. However, they fall short of representing just one-quarter of C-suite roles.
Australia’s mining industry has been mentoring more young women, alongside providing pathways to senior leadership roles, with women now accounting for 28% of executive roles.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, Q2 Metals (TSX-V:QTWO) CEO Alicia Milne says scholarships, programs, and networking opportunities supporting career development makes the pipeline of female talent stronger.
“It is amazing to attend women in industry type of events and see full rooms, to see the number of women joining boards, running companies, in management or leadership positions and being given the opportunity to take on what was once deemed men’s work,” Milne says.
Earlier this year, Deloitte Insights research into gender equity in leadership roles in financial services institutions globally shows Oceania is leading in regard to the proportion of women in financial services leadership roles.
As Mining.com.au previously reported, forecasting has shown that the current 25.5% share of women in C-suite roles is projected to grow to 34% by 2030. Similarly, women in next generation roles is expected to reach almost 37% by 2030, suggesting an increased pipeline of women in financial services.
With more women joining the sector, more policy reforms are being championed and in turn, investments are being driven and mineral diversification is being advanced.
For instance, Energy Capital & Power says Botswana’s Minister of Mining Bogolo Kenewendo is helping to lead structural reforms aimed at strengthening investor partnerships and expanding the country’s diamond value chain.
Meanwhile in Uganda, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa is driving partnerships to revitalise the country’s mineral sector. In March 2025, Uganda signed a first-ever mineral production sharing deal for the re-development of the Kilembe copper mines.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: African Mining Week
