The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake has announced that Nigeria is set to host the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS), a landmark event in Africa’s journey towards economic development and industrialisation.
The event, scheduled for July 16 to 18, 2024, represents a pivotal moment for the continent in its efforts to transition justly from fossil fuels to renewable energy and to maximise Africa’s mineral resource exploration potentials.
Addressing the media during a pre-event press conference in Abuja, Alake stated that AFNIS 2024, an initiative of Core I-mine in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, is more than just a conference. “It is a vital platform that brings together government officials, private sector leaders and industry experts with the shared objective of harnessing Africa’s vast natural resources sustainably. The aim is to drive economic growth, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and foster the development of cleaner, more accessible and reliable energy sources,” he said.
Alake highlighted that the summit will focus on four main development themes:
1. Economic Growth and Prosperity: This theme emphasizes the efficient management and utilization of Africa’s natural resources to achieve the SDGs by fostering economic growth. It aims to alleviate poverty, create job opportunities, and ensure prosperity for all through the responsible exploitation of mineral resources. Revenues generated can be reinvested into the continent’s economies to enhance infrastructure, healthcare, and education.
2. Empowering Marginalised Communities: The summit will address how the sustainable development of natural resources can empower marginalised communities by creating economic opportunities and improving living standards.
3. Commitment to the SDGs: A strong focus will be placed on aligning natural resource management with the SDGs to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
4. Transition to Cleaner Energy: The summit aims to position Africa at the forefront of the global green economy by facilitating the transition to cleaner energy sources.
AFNIS, returning for its third edition this July, will bring together key stakeholders from the mining, agriculture, finance, power and energy sectors—both renewable and non-renewable—to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. Building on the success of its predecessors, AFNIS 2024 continues the discourse initiated in 2022, which highlighted the sustainable development of African natural resources, and 2023, which delved into the need for a just and equitable transition towards a greener Africa.
The 2024 edition, convening under the theme “Natural Resources for Economic Development,” will be held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The agenda underscores the pivotal role of Africa’s abundant natural resources in fueling economic prosperity and empowering marginalised communities.
