The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has declared the forthcoming African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2024 as pivotal for harnessing Africa’s mineral resources to achieve sustainable economic development.
The summit, the third in the series will be held from July 16 to 18, 2024, at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja. Alake emphasised that the summit provides a vital platform that unites government officials, private sector stakeholders, and industry experts from across the continent.
According to the Minister, the objective of the summit “is to galvanise a consensus aimed at driving economic growth, achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and fostering the development of cleaner energy.
“This year’s summit, with the theme: ‘Natural Resources for Economic Development’ underscores the significant role that Africa’s natural resources play in driving economic prosperity. Our focus will be on empowering marginalized communities and strategically utilizing fossil fuel revenues to fund the transition to a greener Africa,” Alake added.
Organised in partnership with the Core International Mining Company, the summit will bring together African Ministers of Solid Minerals/Mineral Resources and will be the first summit hosted by Nigeria since Alake emerged as the pioneer chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).
The Minister said: “AFNIS 2024 will set the pace for policy initiatives and regulatory frameworks that will enhance the sustainable exploitation of mineral resources and galvanize concerted action towards value addition—a major policy adopted by the AMSG.”
“Let’s utilise the AFNIS summit to bolster Nigeria’s image and project us as Africa’s leading investment destination. The present administration is working diligently to improve the ease of doing business and address inherent challenges,” the Minister asserted.
The Chief Executive Officer of Core International, Suleiman Zakari, revealed that this year’s summit would include bilateral meetings focusing on value addition to ensure the continent gets maximum value from its vast mineral resources.
By Jide Orintunsin
