Described by event organisers as the biggest mining deal announcement in Nigeria since Segilola came online, the moment is expected to signal a new phase in the country’s journey from mineral potential to bankable projects, operating mines, domestic processing and industrial value creation.

For years, the industry has spoken about Nigeria’s potential. On Tuesday, the conversation shifts from potential to execution.

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR NIGERIAN MINING

Nigeria is endowed with more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations. Yet solid minerals still represent a comparatively small share of national economic output and exports, underlining the scale of the opportunity available through exploration, project development, beneficiation, responsible mining and stronger connections to capital.

Nigeria Mining Week 2026 is designed around that conversion challenge. Under the theme ‘Unlocking Investment and Growth through Partnerships’, the 11th edition connects policy, projects, finance, technology and markets, with investment readiness and bankable mining opportunities at the centre of the programme.

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT ROOM THIS WEEK

Current event indicators point to a highly international and senior audience: 3,900 registrants, representation from 40 countries, 41% of registrants at director level or above, and 45% international exhibitor passes. These are registration and programme indicators rather than verified final attendance totals.

Across the conference, exhibition, CEO Roundtable, Critical Minerals Forum, Deal Room, Gold Forum, Steel Forum and Women in Extractive Industries Forum, participants will engage on geological data, project finance, licensing confidence, governance, ESG, power, logistics, beneficiation, local value addition and the infrastructure required to move projects into production.

WHO WILL BE IN THE ROOM?

The audience brings together institutions and companies spanning the full mining value chain. Confirmed programme, sponsor, exhibitor and registration records referenced by the organisers include:

Investors, financiers and development institutions

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC); Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM); Development Bank of Namibia; Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC); Mercuria Energy Trading NG; Critical Minerals Financing Corporation; Zigma Ltd.

Mining operators, developers and mineral-sector companies

Segilola Resources Operating Limited; DFR Gold; Promethean Resources; RapidLink Resources Ltd.; Titan Minerals; National Iron Ore Mining Company; Syils Group Nigeria Limited; Africa Gold Council; Jemaa Resource Project; mining and exploration businesses active across gold, lithium, iron ore, gemstones and industrial minerals.

Global industrial, equipment and technology companies

Mitsubishi Corporation; Marubeni; Sojitz; African Industries Group; LiuGong; XCMG; Sany; Sinotruk; SAIC Hongyan; Lonking; Shandong Xinhai; Mikano Motors; Solar Nigachem; Bristol Scientific; Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Chambers of mines, associations and international bodies

Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN); Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (MIASA); Ghana Chamber of Mines; Botswana Chamber of Mines; Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers; Gemstones Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMMAN); Women in Mining Nigeria; International Lithium Association (ILiA); African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC); United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); Zambia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (ZEITI); Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE); Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce; China Mining Association of Nigeria (CMAN); ECOWAS-linked institutions and regional mining stakeholders.

VOICES SHAPING THE CONVERSATION

The programme features senior policymakers, operators, investors and technical experts, including Amb. Anna Westerholm of the Embassy of Sweden; Astrid Karamira of the International Lithium Association; Austin Menegbo of Segilola Resources; Dr Cameron Perks of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence; Dr Israel Ovirih of Critical Minerals Financing Corporation; Engr. Abdullahi Also of African Industries Group; Engr. Janet Adeyemi of Women in Mining Nigeria; Geert Klok of MIASA; Harikrishnan Tulsidas of UNECE; Jude Uzonwanne of the Africa Gold Council; and representatives of NEXIM, PwC Nigeria and Nigeria’s mining institutions.

WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS

Tuesday’s expected announcement is intended to reinforce confidence that the next generation of Nigerian mining projects can attract serious capital, credible operating partners and long-term market interest.

A major transaction does more than fund one project. It can strengthen investor confidence, accelerate exploration, open supply chains, create demand for services and equipment, support jobs and show international capital that Nigeria’s mining opportunities are moving towards execution.

For investors, operators and suppliers, the commercial advantage is access: access to the principals behind the deal, to project owners seeking capital, to financiers and off-takers, to government decision-makers, and to the regional mining networks represented by MIASA and leading chambers of mines.

DON’T HEAR ABOUT IT ON WEDNESDAY

The handshake happens on Tuesday. The market hears about it afterwards.

Those inside Nigeria Mining Week will witness the moment, hear directly from the people shaping the transaction and take part in the conversations that follow. Those outside the room will be reading the headlines after the opportunity has already moved.

WILL YOU BE IN THE ROOM WHEN NIGERIA’S NEXT MINING MILESTONE IS SIGNED?

Secure your delegate pass today at https://NigeriaMiningWeek.com

EVENT DETAILS

• Pre-conference: 12 October 2026
• Main conference and exhibition: 13-14 October 2026
• Venue: Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja
• Theme: Unlocking Investment and Growth through Partnerships

The agreement was signed on 21 September 2026 by Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, and Mr. Masahiko Metoki, Director General of the UPU International Bureau.

Postal networks often serve communities that commercial banks and private logistics providers do not reach. Through Prosper MSMEs, IsDBI and the UPU aim to leverage this extensive infrastructure to help small businesses participate more effectively in the digital economy.

The project will identify opportunities for postal operators to support MSMEs in selling online, enabling cross-border trade, and accessing Sharia-compliant payment and financing solutions.

The project will be implemented in two phases across eight selected IsDB member countries:

• Phase 1: Regulatory assessment. This phase will examine the regulatory frameworks governing e-commerce, postal services, digital payments, and Islamic finance in participating countries.
• Phase 2: Market analysis. This phase will assess the barriers to e-commerce adoption among MSMEs, identify gaps in financial services, evaluate demand for Islamic financial products, and analyze the capabilities of the existing postal networks in the eight selected countries.

IsDBI is financing the project, and the UPU is contributing its expertise, data resources, and engagement with its global postal network.

Prosper MSMEs seeks to achieve three main objectives:

1. Conduct regulatory and market assessments that can guide practical, country-specific technical assistance for postal-led e-commerce and digital financial services.
2. In the eight selected countries, develop proposals for innovative postal-based e-commerce and financing solutions tailored to the needs of MSMEs, women and youth.
3. Present the findings and proposals to cooperation partners, including IsDBI, in order to mobilize resources for implementation.

The project will culminate in a consolidated master report which brings together findings from the participating countries and outlines a roadmap for implementation. The resulting evidence-based project pipeline will support governments, postal operators, and development partners in expanding digital market access and promoting ethical, inclusive finance for small businesses and underserved communities.

Technical Workshops Kick Off AEW Discussions

The AEW program has officially begun with the start of this year’s technical workshops. The 8th Meeting of the APPO NOCs CEOs’ Forum will bring African national oil companies together, while the Deal Room will give project sponsors and developers an opportunity to present active oil, gas, energy and infrastructure opportunities directly to investors and lenders.

The African Farmout Forum will showcase available acreage and farmout opportunities, while dedicated workshops and masterclasses will provide targeted engagement on markets, project finance and industry capacity. The Global Energy Leaders Forum will also put energy security, geopolitical realignment and investment at the center of discussions, examining how Africa can convert changing global energy flows into long-term contracts, final investment decisions and greater energy security.

Looking Ahead at AEW 2026

Over the coming days, AEW 2026 will explore opportunities emerging across the entire energy value chain in Africa. The AEW Townhall will bring governments and industry together around the strategic issues defining the continent’s energy future, while the Upstream E&P Forum will tackle licensing, exploration, drilling, M&A and production growth. The Energy Finance Forum, meanwhile, will put capital at the center of the conversation. The Energy Additions Forum will examine the infrastructure and resources required to expand reliable energy supply and support industrialization, while the Downstream & Petchem Forum will explore refining, fuels, petrochemicals and opportunities to capture more value from African resources.

A Global Conversation in Cape Town

Alongside its commercial program, AEW 2026 will convene some of the most consequential global energy discussions taking place this year. Targeted sessions include the OPEC-Africa Roundtable; the Russia-Africa Energy Investment Forum; and the Global Energy Leaders Forum. A series of roundtables will drill further into issues affecting project development. These include the Local Content Roundtable as well as ministerial and country-focused discussions that bring governments directly into conversations with investors and operators.

AEW will also expand beyond traditional energy discussions through two dedicated conferences. Renegade Intel will explore the convergence of energy, artificial intelligence, data centers and digital infrastructure, while Power Africa Today will tackle power-sector investment, transmission, storage, grid modernization and the reliable electricity supply required to support African industrialization.

Celebrating Music and Energy Progress

AEW 2026 goes beyond conference dialogue. The first day of the event will close with the Just Energy Transition Concert, the event’s official pre-conference networking icebreaker and cultural showcase. The African Energy Awards & Gala Dinner returns on Tuesday to celebrate the companies, projects and individuals helping drive the continent’s energy industry forward.

Technology and Innovation Take the Exhibition Floor

Running alongside the main conference, dedicated technical stages – The Drill Room and The Innovation Hub – will host specialized presentations on exploration, subsurface technologies, LNG, infrastructure, asset integrity and other operational challenges. The exhibition will serve as another commercial hub throughout the week, connecting operators, service companies, technology providers, governments and prospective partners.

“Ten thousand delegates have come to Cape Town because Africa is ready to move projects forward. AEW is Africa’s energy movement – where governments, investors and industry come together to turn resources into projects, projects into deals and deals into development. This week is about action, investment and building Africa’s energy future on African soil,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.