“This year’s Summit is particularly significant because it marks a major milestone in the evolution of what has become one of Africa’s foremost platforms for dialogue, partnership and investment in the natural resources and energy sectors.”
*Photo: Dr Dele Alake, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Resources Development*
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SOLID MINERALS DEVELOPMENT, DR. DELE ALAKE, OON, AT THE PRESS BRIEFING AHEAD OF THE 5TH AFRICAN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY INVESTMENT SUMMIT (AFNIS) 2026
Protocols.
Distinguished Members of the Press,
Representatives of Government Institutions,
Partners in development,
Friends in the energy, mining, and investment communities,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for joining us today.
As we gear up for the fifth edition of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS), coming up from 23rd to 25th June 2026 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, it is important that we provide clarity on what this summit represents, what it seeks to achieve, and why it matters not just for Nigeria, but for the African continent as a whole.
This year’s Summit is particularly significant because it marks a major milestone in the evolution of what has become one of Africa’s foremost platforms for dialogue, partnership and investment in the natural resources and energy sectors. Five years ago, AFNIS began as an ambitious idea to create a platform where African governments, investors, development institutions and industry leaders could come together to discuss the future of the continent’s vast natural resource endowment. Today, that vision has grown into a respected continental platform that continues to shape conversations around mining, energy, industrialisation, investment and sustainable development across Africa.
The significance of AFNIS 2026 extends far beyond the celebration of its fifth edition. It comes at a crucial moment in Africa’s history where the demand for critical minerals is accelerating. Nations are repositioning themselves to secure supply chains. Global capital is seeking stable and bankable destinations. New technologies are transforming industries at unprecedented speed, while the global energy transition is creating enormous opportunities for resource-rich countries.
AFNIS 2026 is built around a simple but powerful proposition that Africa must move from being merely a source of raw materials to becoming a centre of value creation, industrialisation and shared prosperity. Our resources must become catalysts for economic transformation, job creation, technological advancement, infrastructure development and long-term wealth creation for African people.
It is for this reason that the theme: “One Africa, One Resource Vision” was adopted to reflect the growing recognition that the challenges and opportunities confronting Africa’s resource sector can no longer be addressed through isolated national approaches. Whether we are discussing critical minerals, energy infrastructure, regional value chains, industrial corridors, responsible sourcing, project financing or technology transfer, the future lies in greater collaboration among African nations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
What makes AFNIS 2026 different from previous editions is its deliberate focus on implementation. This year, the programme has been designed to facilitate direct engagement between governments, investors, financiers, project developers and technical experts.
Dedicated sovereign meeting rooms, investor engagement sessions, ministerial dialogues, CEO roundtables, project financing discussions, responsible sourcing roundtables and project de-risking engagements have all been incorporated into the Summit architecture. The objective is such that participants should leave Abuja with new partnerships, new investment opportunities and practical pathways for execution.
One of the clearest indicators of AFNIS’ growing relevance is the level of participation it continues to attract from across the continent.
This year, we are expecting senior government representatives and ministers responsible for mining, petroleum, energy and industrial development from several African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Liberia and Mauritania, among others. These countries represent some of Africa’s most important mining and energy jurisdictions, and their participation demonstrates a growing consensus that Africa’s resource future must be shaped through dialogue, coordination and collective action.
Beyond government participation, AFNIS 2026 will bring together development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, investment funds, mining companies, energy companies, technology providers, geoscience experts, project developers and policy makers from across Africa and beyond. It is this unique convergence of decision-makers, investors and industry leaders that distinguishes AFNIS from many other conferences on the continent.
Nigeria is honoured to host this important gathering, again.
Members of the Press,
We expect this year’s Summit to generate meaningful discussions around sovereign participation in strategic projects, regional industrial corridors, critical mineral development, infrastructure financing, responsible sourcing, energy integration, project de-risking and innovative financing mechanisms that can unlock Africa’s enormous resource potential. The outcomes of these discussions have the potential to shape policy and investment decisions across the continent for years to come.
As we prepare for this landmark fifth edition of AFNIS, I wish to express our profound appreciation to the organisations whose support and partnership have contributed to making this Summit possible. I particularly acknowledge Romulus Mining, the Title Sponsor of AFNIS 2026, whose commitment to Africa’s resource development agenda has been instrumental to this year’s event.
I also recognise our Platinum Sponsors, ASBA & Wisdom International Limited and Steron Mining Company Limited; our Gold Sponsor, Xcalibur Smart Mapping; as well as our Silver Sponsors, Official Partners, participating Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners and collaborating institutions whose contributions continue to strengthen the AFNIS platform. Their support reflects growing confidence in Africa’s future and in the transformative potential of responsible resource development.
I also wish to commend members of the media for your continued support in promoting informed discourse around resource development, industrialisation, energy transition and investment.
The media remains a critical partner in shaping public understanding, promoting transparency and highlighting opportunities that can drive economic growth and development.
As we approach AFNIS 2026, I encourage you to engage actively with the ideas, opportunities and partnerships that will emerge from the Summit. The conversations that will take place in Abuja are ultimately about Africa’s future, they are about how we create jobs for our young people, build industries that add value to our resources and position Africa as a competitive player in the global economy.
History will not judge Africa by the resources beneath its soil. History will judge us by what we choose to do with those resources. The challenge before us is therefore not one of endowment, but of vision, leadership and execution.
AFNIS 2026 is a statement of intent, a declaration that Africa is ready to take greater ownership of its development trajectory, deepen regional cooperation, attract strategic investment and transform its natural resource wealth into lasting prosperity for its people.
We look forward to welcoming Africa and the world to Abuja as we take another important step towards building a continent united by a common resource vision and a shared development future.
Thank you for your attention.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless Africa.
