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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has said that the fifth edition of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 will focus on translating dialogue into concrete investments and partnerships capable of accelerating Africa's economic transformation.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the summit scheduled to hold from June 23 to 25, 2026, at the State House Conference Centre, Alake described AFNIS as one of Africa's leading platforms for investment, policy dialogue, and collaboration in the natural resources and energy sectors.
According to the minister, the summit's fifth anniversary marks a significant milestone in the evolution of a platform established to bring together governments, investors, development institutions, and industry leaders to chart a sustainable future for Africa's vast resource wealth.
"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," he said.
Alake noted that AFNIS 2026 is taking place at a critical period when global demand for critical minerals is rising rapidly, countries are repositioning to secure supply chains, and the energy transition is opening new opportunities for resource-rich nations.
He emphasized that Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials and focus on value addition, industrialization, job creation, and technology-driven growth.
"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," he stated.
The summit is themed "One Africa, One Resource Vision," a concept Alake said reflects the growing realization that African countries must work together to address challenges and seize opportunities in mining, energy, infrastructure, financing, and regional value chains.
According to him, one of the distinguishing features of this year's summit is its strong emphasis on implementation and deal-making.
"What makes AFNIS 2026 different from previous editions is its deliberate focus on implementation. Participants should leave Abuja with new partnerships, new investment opportunities and practical pathways for execution," he said.
To achieve this objective, the summit programme will feature sovereign meeting rooms, investor engagement sessions, ministerial dialogues, CEO roundtables, project financing discussions, responsible sourcing engagements, and project de-risking forums.
The minister disclosed that senior government officials and ministers responsible for mining, petroleum, energy, and industrial development from several African countries are expected to participate. Countries expected at the summit include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and Mauritania, among others.
He added that development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, investment funds, mining and energy companies, technology providers, geoscience experts, project developers, and policymakers from Africa and beyond would also attend the gathering.
Alake said discussions during the summit are expected to focus on sovereign participation in strategic projects, regional industrial corridors, critical mineral development, infrastructure financing, responsible sourcing, energy integration, project de-risking, and innovative financing mechanisms.
"The outcomes of these discussions have the potential to shape policy and investment decisions across the continent for years to come," he noted.
The minister also acknowledged the support of key partners and sponsors contributing to the success of AFNIS 2026. He particularly commended Romulus Mining as the title sponsor, alongside platinum sponsors ASBA & Wisdom International Limited and Steron Mining Company Limited, as well as gold sponsor Xcalibur Smart Mapping.
He further praised the media for promoting informed conversations on resource development, industrialization, energy transition, and investment across the continent.
Highlighting the broader significance of the summit, Alake said the future of Africa would not be determined solely by the resources beneath its soil but by how effectively those resources are harnessed for development.
"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," he said.
He described AFNIS 2026 as a declaration of Africa's readiness to deepen regional cooperation, attract strategic investments, and transform its natural resource wealth into sustainable 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," the minister added.