Abuja, Nigeria — The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has expressed confidence that the 2026 edition of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) will significantly influence policy direction and investment decisions across Africa as it shifts from dialogue to implementation.
Speaking at the pre-summit press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Alake said the fifth edition of AFNIS, scheduled to hold from June 23 to 25, marks a critical turning point for the continent’s natural resources and energy sectors.
Represented by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, Mr. Martins Imonite, the minister noted that AFNIS has evolved into one of Africa’s foremost platforms for collaboration, investment promotion, and strategic engagement in the resource sector.
He emphasized that this year’s theme, “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” reflects the urgent need for a unified continental approach to managing Africa’s vast natural resources, stressing that fragmented national strategies are no longer sufficient to address emerging global demands and opportunities.
According to Alake, the summit comes at a time of rising global demand for critical minerals, pushing nations to secure supply chains while attracting investment capital. He said Africa must seize this opportunity to transition from exporting raw materials to becoming a hub for value addition, industrialisation, and shared prosperity.
“What makes AFNIS 2026 different is its deliberate focus on implementation,” he said, adding that the summit is structured to ensure participants leave with concrete partnerships, viable investment opportunities, and actionable plans.
He disclosed that the summit will feature sovereign meeting rooms, investor engagement sessions, ministerial dialogues, CEO roundtables, and project financing discussions, all designed to facilitate direct engagement among governments, investors, and technical experts.
Alake further revealed that high-level delegations from several African countries—including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and Mauritania—have confirmed participation, underscoring growing continental consensus on the need for collective action in resource development.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yabo, described AFNIS as a “definitive gathering” for Africa’s resource sector, where deals are negotiated, innovations shared, and policies shaped.
Represented by Mrs. Esther Nkechi Udo, Director of IPMT, Yabo highlighted the ministry’s commitment to building a competitive, responsible, and forward-looking mining sector driven by local value addition, sustainability, and technological integration.
He also commended the media for its role in promoting transparency and bridging the gap between government policies and public understanding.
Also speaking, Archibald Troko, Director of Strategy and Platform Development at Core International, revealed that previous AFNIS editions have secured over $600 million in deals and attracted more than 5,000 delegates across 30 countries.
He added that the summit has contributed to stronger trade alignment, policy harmonisation, and the establishment of new standards in natural resource development across Africa.
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Troko noted that the Africans for Africa Fund, launched at AFNIS 2024 with a $1 billion target, is expected to provide further investment insights at this year’s summit.
With about 20 percent of Africa’s mining and natural resource ministers already confirming attendance, stakeholders say AFNIS 2026 is poised to play a defining role in shaping the continent’s economic transformation through strategic resource management.
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