Abuja hosts Africa’s foremost natural resources summit

The African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) is set to hold its 4th edition in Abuja from Tuesday, July 15 to Thursday, July 17, 2025, at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, AFNIS 2025 is backed by a powerful coalition of Ministries led by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (Chief Host), and supported by the Ministries of Steel Development, Petroleum Resources, Power, Finance, Environment, Foreign Affairs, and Industry, Trade and Investment.

A statement by the organisers indicated that this cross-Ministerial collaboration underscores the Government’s commitment to using natural resources to drive local industrialisation, job creation and intra-African investment.

The summit, themed “Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development,” brings together top Government officials, global investors, and industry leaders to drive sustainable development in Africa’s natural resources sector.

The summit aims to position Nigeria and Africa as key players in the future of sustainable resource development, promoting prosperity built in Africa, by Africans, for Africans

At the heart of AFNIS is impact. Organisers expect this year’s edition to deliver: The official launch of the AforA Fund (Africans for Africa Initiative), New partnerships and MoUs between governments and investors, Insights from SEforALL’s new Critical Minerals Study, spotlighting Nigeria’s role in the global energy transition, investment commitments across lithium, solar, infrastructure, and processing industries and Deeper engagement on policy reforms, ease of doing business, and inter-country collaboration

Other key deliverables expected at the event include Local Content Development, Leveraging Africa’s resource wealth for industrial development, domestic manufacturing, and long-term value retention and Sustainable Development, Promoting sustainable economic transformation through value addition, local content development, and cross-sector collaboration.

Activities at the summit will include a High-Level Ministerial and CEO Retreat (July 15), a Strategic Partnerships and policy Summit (July 16), a Technical Summit (July 17), a Golf Tournament and industry Networking Events, and a Tour of a landmark lithium processing facility, showcasing Africa’s movement from raw material exporter to value-added producer.

President Bola Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will declare the summit open; Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, will serve as Chief Host.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.