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.
By Victoria Onehi
The Federal Government has restated it’s commitment to prioritising local content and value addition in the solid minerals sector.
This disclosure was made in a communique issued at the end of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2025, held in Abuja from 15th to 17th of July 2025, with the theme ‘Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development.’
A central tenet of the summit was the imperative to move beyond the export of raw materials. Emphasis was placed on building robust local value chains, processing minerals on African soil, and promoting “Nigeria First” policies (as exemplified by the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board when it comes to the supply of Baryte) to prioritise local human and material resources in natural resource operations.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr. Dele Alake, who delivered a keynote address at the event underscored Nigeria’s commitment to this policy shift. He spotlighted sweeping reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which have catalysed astounding growth in mining revenues through the attraction of over $800 million in critical minerals investments, positioning Nigeria as a hub for lithium processing and electric vehicle technologies.
According to the communique,new mining licenses, for instance, should mandate local processing plans. Another remarkable highlight which also underscores the summit theme was the high-level tour of the Asba and Wisdom International Lithium Processing Plant.
Transforming the Energy Sector: Discussions underscored Africa’s growing energy sector and the critical role of energy access for socio-economic progress.
Initiatives like Nigeria’s presidential compressed natural gas (CNG) program were highlighted as successful models. The importance of regional energy integration projects and the establishment of transparent electricity trading marketplaces (e.g., Nigerian Energy Exchange championed by Nbet) were also stressed. Efforts to mobilize resources and investments for the energy sector are ongoing.
The summit addressed the historical challenge of Africa being a supplier of raw materials. The Africa Mineral Strategy Group (AMSG) is actively working to regulate raw mineral exports and champion local processing. Reforms in the mining sector, including formalisation, value addition, and attracting global players through entities like the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company, are crucial. The potential for Africa to foster battery and electric vehicle industries, utilising its critical mineral resources, was a key point of discussion.
A significant development during the summit was the official signing of the Charter by Nigeria, formally joining the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) as a full member. This step solidifies Nigeria’s commitment to a unified African approach to mineral development, focusing on value addition, exploration, African capital mobilisation, and critical mineral security across the continent.
In his address,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, enjoined delegates to become co-architects of Africa’s future by forging investment partnerships that add value through job creation and environmental stewardship.
Mobilising African Capital and Investment, the Africans for Africa Fund:
A significant focus was placed on mobilising domestic capital for African development. The “Africans for Africa” initiative was launched during AFNIS 2024 and in 2025 the fund was officially unveiled, aiming to pool resources from Africans to invest in lucrative projects within the continent, fostering African ownership and parity with foreign exploration companies.
Government reforms to improve the investment climate were also highlighted.
Leveraging Technology and Data for Sustainable Practices: The summit recognised the transformative power of technology and data in resource exploration and management. Presentations by GeoScan Technology and Oildynamix showcased AI-powered satellite image analytics and cutting-edge solutions to accelerate and enhance mineral exploration, reducing costs and increasing accuracy. The importance of comprehensive data generation in understanding a country’s resource potential and attracting investment was emphasised by X-Calibur Smart Mapping.
AFNIS 2025 served as a vital platform for African nations and the private sector to reinforce their commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and value-driven development of their natural resources and energy sectors, ensuring that the continent’s immense wealth benefits its people.
Some of the sponsors of AFNIS 2025 are Asba & Wisdom International, GeoScan Technology/Esoterra, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board,African Natural Resources and Mines limited (ANRML), Segilola Resources Operating Limited, NIWNRO, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Oildynamix.Others are Kaduna Mining Development Co. Ltd, Kaduna Electric, Kogi State Government, Plateau State Government, Benue State Government, Nbet, Kian Smith and Nasarawa State Government.
AFNIS 2026 will return on 23rd to 25th of June 2026 with the Theme: “One Africa, One Resource Vision: Forging a Continental Alliance for Sustainable Development”.
