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The Federal Government has announced plans to formally unveil the “Africans for Africa Fund,” an ambitious initiative aimed at mobilising domestic capital across the continent to advance Africa’s mining and natural resource sectors.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, made this known on Tuesday during a briefing in Abuja ahead of the 2025 African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS), scheduled for July 15–17 at the State House Conference Centre.

Represented by the Director-General of the Mining Cadastre Office, Obadiah Nkom, the minister said the fund would focus on channeling African resources into African industrialisation, resource processing, and strategic investments across the solid minerals value chain.

“One of the major highlights this year will be the formal launch of the ‘Africans for Africa’ Fund—a bold initiative to mobilise African capital for African priorities,” Alake said.

“This isn’t just a slogan. It’s a shift in mindset. We’re declaring that it’s time for Africans to invest in Africa, to back our own industries, innovations, and infrastructure using the wealth we already possess.”

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Alake stated that the summit’s theme, “Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development,” signals a decisive move away from raw material exports towards local value addition, manufacturing, and employment generation.

“This means we are done merely talking about potential. Now we’re prioritising production—adding value, processing minerals, generating power locally, and ensuring these resources translate into tangible benefits for our people,” he said.

The minister traced the growth of AFNIS since its 2022 debut, noting that last year’s edition set the stage for the “Africans for Africa” agenda, which resonated across governments, investors, and development partners.

AFNIS 2025 will feature a series of strategic engagements, including a Ministerial and CEO Retreat, partnership summits, and a technical forum covering ESG issues, critical minerals, and integrating agriculture with mining.

“We’ll explore synergies across mining, agriculture, petrochemicals, and energy to drive sustainable growth,” he added.

Confirmed speakers for the summit include Kenya’s Hon. Hassan Joho, Sierra Leone’s H.E. Julius Mattai, Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi, and ministers from Malawi, Liberia, Senegal, and South Sudan.

Highlighting Nigeria’s participation, Alake said the country will showcase reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including local mineral processing, new community development frameworks, and the rollout of a national mineral data platform.

“This summit is our opportunity to show that Africa is serious about owning and leading its resource future. We’re done sitting on wealth—we’re ready to build with it,” he declared.

Alake urged ministries, private sector players, civil society groups, and international partners to seize AFNIS 2025 as a springboard for transformative projects and cross-border collaboration.