UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2026: International Investment in a Turbulent Era analyses how rising geopolitical tensions, trade policy uncertainty, economic security concerns and technological competition are reshaping global foreign direct investment (FDI). The report highlights a growing concentration of international investment across countries, sectors and projects, with strategic industries—including artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, semiconductors, critical minerals, energy transition technologies and advanced manufacturing—attracting an increasing share of global investment, while many developing countries risk being left behind unless they can position themselves within evolving global value chains.
Africa illustrates both the opportunities and the challenges emerging from this changing investment landscape. According to the World Investment Report 2026, the continent attracted about US$70 billion in FDI in 2025. Although this represented a decline from the exceptional level recorded in 2024, when a small number of large transactions boosted regional inflows, it remained the third-highest level since 1990 and roughly one-third above the continent's long-term average.
Headline FDI figures, however, tell only part of the story. While the value of announced greenfield projects fell by almost one third, the number of projects increased, suggesting broader investor engagement through smaller investments despite an increasingly selective global investment environment. This indicates that international investors continue to identify long-term opportunities across the continent.
Africa continues to attract growing investor interest in sectors that are becoming increasingly important to the global economy. Energy infrastructure, critical minerals, logistics, renewable energy and selected manufacturing activities are attracting investment from both traditional partners and an expanding group of investors from the Gulf and other Asian economies. At the same time, African Least Developed Countries received approximately US$33 billion in FDI, although investment remained concentrated in a relatively small number of economies linked to natural resources, infrastructure, energy and manufacturing.
The continent's abundant reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, graphite, platinum group metals and rare earth minerals position Africa at the centre of the global energy transition and the reconfiguration of international supply chains. As demand for these strategic resources continues to grow, Africa has a unique opportunity not only to attract investment but also to capture greater value through local processing, manufacturing, supplier development and stronger regional value chains.
The central policy challenge is therefore no longer simply attracting foreign investment. Rather, it is ensuring that investment contributes to economic diversification, technological upgrading, employment creation and sustainable development. Achieving this will require stronger investment facilitation, reliable infrastructure, industrial capabilities, skilled labour, supplier development and regional cooperation, including through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Objective
The objective of the webinar is to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the latest global and regional investment trends, with a particular focus on the key findings of the World Investment Report 2026 and their implications for Africa. The session will also explore opportunities and policy recommendations to leverage international investment in strategic sectors—including energy, critical minerals, infrastructure and manufacturing—to promote industrialization, economic diversification and sustainable development across the continent.
Participation
The webinar will bring together different stakeholders from across the continent and beyond with an interest in investment in Africa. Target participants include investment promotion agencies, financial institutions, policymakers and government officials, private sector representatives, international organizations and development partners, and civil society and academia, among others.
