Africa's industrial ambitions will require significant investment in energy and infrastructure. But what separates projects that attract capital from those that struggle to reach financial close?

Hosted by Energy News Network (ENN) in partnership with The Electricity Hub, Let's Talk Energy speaks with Shirley Webber, Managing Principal, Coverage Head - Resources & Energy at Absa, about where financiers see opportunity across Africa's energy markets and what they need to see before committing capital.

From country and policy stability to clear offtake, sustainability and project viability, Shirley explores why financing decisions increasingly depend on understanding the entire value chain rather than looking at individual projects in isolation.

The conversation also looks at Africa's evolving energy mix and why industrialisation will require different solutions in different markets. For mining and other energy-intensive industries, reliable baseload, renewables, transmission infrastructure and battery storage could all have a role depending on local resources and demand.

And as more capital is mobilised within Africa, could closer collaboration between commercial banks and development finance institutions help move more projects from ambition to investment?

Zambia's electricity demand is rising, driven by mining, industrialisation, agriculture and urbanisation. But meeting that demand will require more than adding new generation. Power trading, transmission investment and stronger regional connections will all have a role to play.

Hosted by Energy News Network (ENN) in partnership with The Electricity Hub, Let's Talk Energy continues its series recorded live at the Africa Energy Forum 2026 in Cape Town with Martin Kasemuka, CEO of Lunzua Power Company.

The conversation looks at Zambia's evolving power market and why Kasemuka sees opportunity across the electricity value chain, from solar, hydro and thermal generation to transmission infrastructure and cross-border power trading.

With transmission constraints limiting how effectively electricity can move between surplus and deficit markets, Kasemuka discusses proposed connections with the DRC and links towards Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, as well as the role trading can play in supporting new investment.

As Zambia's mining and industrial sectors expand, the episode asks a critical question: can generation, transmission and regional power trading grow quickly enough to keep pace with demand?

Some of Africa's greatest power deficits sit in markets international capital often considers too difficult. But does perceived risk always match the reality on the ground?

In the latest Let's Talk Energy podcast, hosted by Energy News Network (ENN) in partnership with The Electricity Hub, Matthew Fredericks, Mining & Energy Strategist at USP&E, challenges the conventional view of Africa's frontier energy markets.

Drawing on experience across Mali, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Togo and other complex jurisdictions, Matthew argues that these markets are not necessarily unworkable, but underserved by companies prepared to mobilise, operate and remain through difficult cycles.

The conversation explores what that means for investment. As private capital increasingly looks towards mining and industrial power, Matthew identifies captive and embedded generation, hybrid thermal-solar-storage systems, gas-to-power and brownfield rehabilitation as areas that could be overlooked by international investors.

But infrastructure alone is only part of the equation. From maintaining operations through political and commercial disruption to sharing risk with clients, Matthew explains why trust, technical breadth and what he calls "staying power" can become important components of bankability in frontier markets.

As investors reconsider where Africa's next infrastructure opportunities could emerge, the discussion asks whether some of the continent's most challenging markets may also be among its most underappreciated.