South Africa’s SMEs are being positioned at the centre of regional energy and infrastructure development, with around 30 local businesses set to participate in the Continental Energy and Infrastructure Investment Forum (CEIIF) 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia next week.
The 2026 edition of CEIIF will be the first hosted outside South Africa, a move organisers say reflects a deliberate shift toward regional infrastructure value chains, African industrial competitiveness and cross-border collaboration.
According to Nthabiseng Dube, Director at the South African Electro technical Export Council (SAEEC) and Co-Convenor of CEIIF, the Forum is structured to operate at multiple levels combining policy engagement with practical business opportunities for SMEs.
“We have strategic and policy discussions through the conference content, but also strong business-to-business and business-to-government engagements supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Dube said.
A key focus of CEIIF 2026 is increasing African participation in African infrastructure projects through intentional SME integration. Dube revealed that at least 25 South African SMMEs are being supported to participate, alongside additional enterprises from Zambia and other countries.
“We are hosting a dedicated B2B room where companies can engage directly with one another,” she said. “The SMME component is critically important because we are trying to increase African participation in African infrastructure projects.”
For participating SMEs, CEIIF offers access to decision-makers shaping the region’s infrastructure future. Fezile Dhlamini, founder of Green Scooter, said the Forum’s appeal lies in its ability to connect policy, capital and implementation.
“What excites us most about CEIIF 2026 is that it sits at the intersection of policy, capital and real infrastructure delivery,” Dhlamini told Vutivi Business News.
“Zambia is positioning itself as a serious gateway for regional energy transition and logistics, and CEIIF brings together decision-makers who are actively implementing transformation.”
Dhlamini, who is attending through the Tshwane Economic Development Agency, said the company is seeking partnership-led deployment across logistics, public services and last-mile transport.
“We are looking to engage governments, utilities, developers and financiers interested in piloting and scaling electric mobility. Beyond commercial opportunities, CEIIF allows us to align with regional infrastructure plans so electric mobility is embedded early, rather than retrofitted later,” he said.
He said challenges facing SMMEs are largely structural rather than technical, including procurement delays, fragmented regulations and financing models that favour conventional infrastructure.
“With the right partners and policy alignment, electric mobility can leapfrog legacy systems and deliver lower operating costs, local manufacturing potential and meaningful environmental impact,” adds Dhlamini.
Mark Taylor, Director at SAEEC and founder of engineering firm TEMAMII, said sustainable SMME development requires long-term planning and coordinated government support.
“These must be sustainable businesses, not firms providing services for a short-term project, but businesses that survive post-mining, post-energy plant builds and post-industrial developments,” Taylor said.
CEIIF 2026 will also feature structured B2G engagements and strategic site visits, with organisers saying success will be measured by partnerships formed, contracts secured and long-term regional participation, rather than attendance alone.
