The Association of Women in Mining in Africa (AWIMA) will host the 2026 edition of its annual Leadership Awards and Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of activities marking ten years of promoting women’s leadership in Africa’s extractive industries.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), and will be held in collaboration with the Investing in African Mining Indaba.

This year’s conference is themed “A Decade of Leadership – Igniting the Next Chapter” and will reflect on AWIMA’s ten-year journey while spotlighting the next phase of advancing gender inclusion, leadership, and policy influence in Africa’s mining sector.

The AWIMA Leadership Awards and Conference serves as a flagship continental platform that recognises and celebrates the achievements of women across Africa’s extractive industries.

Honourees include executives, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers, operators, and community leaders who have made significant contributions to the sector.

Speaking ahead of the event, AWIMA President, Zenzi Natasha Awases, emphasised the critical role women play in shaping the future of Africa’s mining industry.

“Women are central to the future of Africa’s mining sector—not as beneficiaries of inclusion, but as policy shapers, operators, and custodians of sustainable development,” she said.

“As AWIMA marks a decade of leadership, these Awards reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender-responsive mining policies that unlock shared value, transparency, and long-term socio-economic impact across the continent.”

According to organisers, more than 70 women from across Africa’s five regions have been shortlisted for the 2026 Leadership Awards in recognition of their transformative contributions to the mining industry.

Further details about the awards and conference can be found on AWIMA’s official website, www.awimaafrica.com, as well as on its social media platforms.

AWIMA, founded in 2015, is a pan-African network committed to advancing the participation, leadership, and influence of women across Africa’s mining value chain.

The organisation focuses on advocacy, collaboration, mentorship, and policy engagement to promote equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development within Africa’s extractive industries.