A comprehensive speech by President Bola Tinubu at the 2026 AFNIS summit urges African nations to process and industrialise their mineral resources, strengthen governance, and pursue cross‑border investment to drive sustainable growth.
President Bola Tinubu opened the 2026 African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja with a call for a united African approach to the continent's mineral wealth.
He urged member states to move beyond raw material exports and embrace value addition, industrialisation and regional collaboration. The theme One Africa One Resource Vision is framed as a declaration of intent that Africa must stop negotiating as fragmented markets and begin thinking, planning and growing together.
Tinubu, represented by Dr Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, highlighted that Africa occupies a strategic position in the global economy due to its abundant minerals, which are essential to the worldwide energy transition and industrial development. The summit drew delegates from more than fifteen African countries, including investors, government officials, mining firms, financial institutions and development partners. Tinubu noted that the world is changing rapidly and Africa's resources are central to that change.
He stressed that the continent can no longer afford to export wealth in unprocessed form; instead, it must harness its raw materials to create jobs, manufacture products and build prosperity. The President emphasized the need for Africa to strengthen its bargaining power by conducting exploration, extraction, processing and manufacturing across the continent, rather than allowing wealth to leave in the form of crude minerals.
In addition, Tinubu championed deeper regional integration, proposing that African states collaborate on major industrial and energy projects. A single country could build a refinery in another, gas fields could power factories across borders and solar corridors could feed a continental grid. He portrayed Africa not as a collection of limitations but as a vast field of opportunity that can be realised when countries unite behind shared infrastructure and policy frameworks.
The President warned that natural resources alone will not guarantee development; effective governance, leadership and public‑private partnerships are essential for sustainable progress. Tinubu appealed to investors, inviting them to explore Africa's mineral wealth while forming responsible and mutually beneficial partnerships. He outlined expectations of transparency, accountability and community protection, stressing that investment must create jobs, strengthen local capacity and respect the environment. He urged governments to harmonise regulations, reduce trade barriers and support indigenous enterprises.
The President also underscored the need for reliable energy to sustain industrialisation, arguing that a just transition must avoid forcing Africa to choose between climate responsibility and human dignity. Millions of Africans still lack access to reliable electricity, a deficit that hampers factories, farms, schools and hospitals. Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to expanding energy access, supporting industry and harnessing gas resources responsibly while promoting renewable investment.
The goal is not simply to produce more energy but to create more opportunities for people across the continent. Tinubu closed his remarks by signalling that Africa must move beyond discussion and focus on concrete actions that will unlock the full potential of its mineral resources, echoing comments from industry leaders such as Tim Tokun, Executive Director of Mineral Resources Development at Romulus Mining.
The event concluded with a shared vision of a future where African minerals fuel inclusive growth and sustainable development for all
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