The 4th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2025), themed “Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development,” has unveiled a bold new agenda to unlock Africa’s vast potential through natural resource wealth to drive industrial growth, equity and sustainable development.
Held in Abuja, the summit drew senior dignitaries from over 25 countries, executives from leading organizations, and industry stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for unlocking the continent’s resource potential and promoting sustainable economic advancement.
AFNIS 2025 placed strong emphasis on harnessing local content as a driver of sustainable growth, with a focus on Africa’s mineral wealth, energy sector transformation and intra-African cooperation to catalyse prosperity.
Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake highlighted Nigeria’s reforms under the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, which have attracted over $800 million in investments in critical minerals. These investments, he said, are positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for lithium processing and electric vehicle technologies.
In his welcome address, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Faruk Yabo urged delegates to become co-architects of Africa’s future by forging value-added investment partnerships that support job creation and environmental responsibility.
Key commitments and highlights from the summit include:
Prioritising Local Content and Value Addition: Strengthening local value chains, mineral processing within Africa, and promoting “Nigeria First” policies that prioritize local human and material resources.
Transforming the Energy Sector: Addressing energy access and transformation, including Nigeria’s Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.
Strategic Mineral Development: Regulating raw mineral exports, promoting local processing and attracting global players through institutions like the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company.
Mobilising African Capital: Launching the Africans for Africa Fund to pool domestic capital for investment in high-impact projects across the continent.
Leveraging Technology and Data: Presenting innovative tools such as AI-powered satellite imagery for mineral exploration, enabling cost-efficient and accurate resource discovery.
Nigeria’s Commitment to Continental Strategy: Officially joining the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) as a full member, reinforcing its pledge to a unified African vision for mineral development.
Local Industrialization: Converting raw materials into value-added products such as batteries, solar panels, fertilizers, and metal components.
Driving Energy Transition: Promoting renewable energy and natural gas for clean, accessible and affordable energy solutions.
Enhancing Intra-African Cooperation: Advancing partnerships, regional trade and financing systems to ensure African ownership of the critical minerals agenda.
Building a Green Economy: Utilizing renewable resources, minerals and local talent to fuel inclusive, long-term economic growth.
Promoting Ethical Practices: Reinforcing standards around radiological safety, compliance and transparency in mining operations.
Empowering Africa’s Resource Future: Committing to investment, innovation and practical action to secure Africa’s long-term control over its resources.
During the CEO/Ministerial roundtable, delegates reviewed Africa’s position as a key holder of global mineral reserves and explored ways to shift from raw extraction to value-added production.
Proposals from the session included:
Expansion of mineral testing labs across member states;
Development of joint industrial corridors and shared processing zones;
Operationalization of AMSG working groups with clear roadmaps;
Adoption of Nigeria’s local content model across Africa;
Creation of a pan-African financing mechanism to support beneficiation.
Participants noted that AFNIS 2025 served as a crucial platform for governments and the private sector to reaffirm their shared commitment to inclusive, sustainable and value-driven development of Africa’s natural resources and energy sectors, ensuring the continent’s wealth ultimately benefits its people.
