PHOTO SPEAK: From Left to Right; Moses Engadu, Secretary General of Africa Minerals Strategy Group; Dr. Dele Alake, Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development; His Excellency, Hassan Ali Joho, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Mining, Maritime, & Blue Economy, Kenya; Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo,FNSE, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, at the 4th Edition of AFNIS 2025 which took place from the 16th -17th July, 2025 at The Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development and economic transformation through local content and regional cooperation at the just-concluded 4th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2025, held from July 15–17 in Abuja.
Under the theme “Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development,” the summit brought together high-level government officials, private sector leaders, and continental stakeholders to advance Africa’s agenda for mineral value addition, energy access, and green industrialization, this was conveyed in a communique on Monday
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, emphasized Nigeria’s progress under the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing over $800 million in new investments into critical minerals.
He positioned Nigeria as a rising hub for lithium processing and electric vehicle technology, reflecting a strategic pivot from raw material exports to in-country beneficiation and value chain development.
Key Government-Led Initiatives and Commitments
Local Content First: The Federal Government championed policies to mandate local processing in new mining licenses, supported by site tours of lithium processing facilities like Asba and Wisdom International.
Energy Transition and Access: Nigeria’s Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative was spotlighted as a replicable model for energy transition. Regional energy integration and the Nigerian Energy Exchange (Nbet) were also promoted as platforms for transparent electricity markets.
Strategic Resource Governance: Nigeria officially signed the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) Charter, becoming a full member committed to regional coordination on mineral exploration, beneficiation, and export regulation.
African Capital for African Projects: The unveiling of the “Africans for Africa Fund” marked a bold step to mobilize domestic investment into resource projects, fostering indigenous ownership and competitiveness.
Technology-Driven Exploration: Cutting-edge presentations from companies like GeoScan and X-Calibur Smart Mapping demonstrated how AI and satellite data are revolutionizing mineral discovery and mapping.
Ethical and Environmental Standards: The FG reinforced its stance on radiological safety, community protection, and the adoption of African Mineral Reporting Codes for transparency in critical minerals supply chains.
Agriculture-Mining Balance: The summit called for integrated land use policies to prevent mining-agriculture conflicts, highlighting the need for proper reclamation and community inclusion.
CEO/Ministerial Roundtable Outcomes
A defining moment came during the CEO/Ministerial Roundtable, where African ministers and industry leaders agreed on:
Establishing joint industrial corridors and cross-border infrastructure;
Expanding mineral testing labs across member states;
Operationalizing AMSG working groups with clear roadmaps;
Adapting Nigeria’s local content model continent-wide;
Supporting a Pan-African Mineral Finance Mechanism to fund beneficiation.
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The summit concluded with a call to action for African nations to take ownership of their development agenda. With backing from strategic partners including state governments, NCDMB, GeoScan Technology, and others, AFNIS 2025 laid the foundation for a cohesive continental strategy to unlock Africa’s mineral wealth for its people.
The next summit, AFNIS 2026, is scheduled for June 23–25, 2026, themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision: Forging a Continental Alliance for Sustainable Development.”
For full communique and outcomes, visit: www.afnisummit.com
Contact: media@afnisummit.com
Issued by: AFNIS 2025 Secretariat, Abuja.
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