Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Wednesday called on African nations to stop exporting raw mineral resources and embrace value addition, industrialisation and regional collaboration as pathways to sustainable economic growth.
Alake made the call in Abuja during a press briefing ahead of the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026, slated for June 23 to 25 at the State House Conference Centre.
The minister said Africa can no longer afford to remain a supplier of raw materials while other regions reap the benefits of processing, manufacturing and technology-driven industries.
According to him, the continent must leverage its vast natural resource wealth to create jobs, attract investments, develop infrastructure and generate long-term prosperity for its people.
“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,” Alake said.
He noted that this year’s summit, themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” comes at a time when global demand for critical minerals is surging due to the ongoing energy transition and technological advancements.
Alake explained that the theme reflects the growing need for African countries to work together in developing critical minerals, energy infrastructure, regional value chains and industrial corridors.
“The future lies in greater collaboration among African nations. The challenges and opportunities confronting Africa’s resource sector can no longer be addressed through isolated national approaches,” he said.
The minister described AFNIS as one of Africa’s leading investment and policy platforms, noting that the summit has grown significantly since its inception five years ago.
He said the 2026 edition would place greater emphasis on implementation and investment outcomes, rather than discussions alone.
To achieve this, he disclosed that the summit programme has been designed to facilitate direct engagement among governments, investors, financiers, project developers and technical experts.
“There will be sovereign meeting rooms, investor engagement sessions, ministerial dialogues, CEO roundtables, project financing discussions and project de-risking engagements. Participants should leave Abuja with new partnerships and practical investment opportunities,” he said.
Alake revealed that ministers and senior government officials from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Liberia and Mauritania are expected at the summit.
He added that development finance institutions, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, mining and energy companies, technology providers and policymakers from across Africa and beyond would also participate.
The minister said discussions would focus on critical mineral development, infrastructure financing, responsible sourcing, energy integration, regional industrial corridors and innovative financing mechanisms capable of unlocking Africa’s resource potential.
According to him, the outcomes of the summit could influence policy and investment decisions across the continent for years to come.
Alake stressed that Africa’s future would not be determined by the abundance of resources beneath its soil but by how effectively those resources are managed and utilised.
“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 not one of endowment, but of vision, leadership and execution,” he said.
He expressed confidence that AFNIS 2026 would deepen regional cooperation, attract strategic investments and strengthen Africa’s drive towards industrialisation and economic transformation.
The minister also commended sponsors, development partners and the media for supporting the summit and promoting conversations around resource development and sustainable growth.
“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,” he added.
