By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
Following years of intense negotiations, Nigeria has formally acceded to the Charter of the African Extractive Minerals Bank (AEMBANK).
The historic signing ceremony took place on 4th December, 2025, during the AFNIS (African natural resources & energy investment summit) London Roadshow 2025.
Hajiya Shinkafi, representing the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, officiated the signing.
She expressed immense satisfaction that the groundbreaking institution had finally come to fruition.
Hajiya Shinkafi noted that AEMBANK will bring the long-desired support to the mining sector, driving job creation, economic growth, and indigenous empowerment. She emphasised that this move places Nigeria, and Africa at large, on a definitive path toward true industrialisation.
During the event, the Minister affirmed Nigeria’s firm commitment to hosting the Bank’s headquarters.
Speaking on behalf of the Bank, Ambassador Tim Morris, a member of the Advisory Board, recognised the passion, zeal, and dedication of the Minister in securing Nigeria’s accession.
Ambassador Morris declared that the institution would enhance a “symbiotic handshake” between the Global North and South, expressing the Bank’s anticipation of working closely with the Nigerian government.
The African Extractive Minerals Development Bank (AEMBANK) is a multilateral development finance institution born out of a collaboration between sovereigns and private investors. Its core mandate is to finance the mining sector to drive Africa’s industrialisation.