Group Seeks to Unlock Over the $100bn Potential in Nigerian Mineral Resources

CSR-in-Action, Nigeria’s premier business and ethical networking platform and consultancy for sustainability, has announced plans to host governments, captains of industry, experts and investors in the country’s capital, Abuja, to stimulate meaningful exchange of ideas on how to unlock over $100bn potential in the extractive industries within the next four years.

The 4th hosting of the Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI), a free annual conference organised by CSR-in-Action as part of its commitment to economic sustainability in Africa, is scheduled to take place on the 19th of November 2015 in Abuja in partnership with the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Nigerian Government Chapter of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Remarking on the conference, Ms Bekeme Masade, Executive Director, CSR-in-Action said; “With the theme, Unlocking the Hidden Potential in the Extractive Industries, we have aligned this year’s conference with the present Nigerian Government’s pledge to diversify the economy, particularly through mining. SITEI seeks to renew this political commitment to sustainable development while discussing structural modifications within political institutions in relation to development, investment and local participation in the Nigerian extractive industries.”

CSR-in-Action, as the Nigeria partner to The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK, has also included a post-event training on “Energy and Mining Development: Opportunities and Threats” for participants, particularly from the state governments, who will also be eligible to serve on the post-event working group to be chaired by PwC.

Professor Stephen Vertigans, Head of School of Applied Social Sciences, has expressed his delight in facilitating the training saying, “Robert Gordon University is happy to partner with CSR-in-Action to provide the post-SITEI training. We are mindful of the need to maximize all outcomes from deliberations at the conference in a manner that will ensure maximum impact and long term socially responsible development.”

Some of the expected speakers at the 400 delegate-strong conference include: Prof Yemi Osinbajo (Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria); Nasir el-Rufai (Executive Governor, Kaduna State), Mutiu Sunmonu (Immediate Past Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria); Neff Clay (CEO, Chevron); Igo Weli, (General manager, Sutaibaility Development, Shell) amongst others.

According to the National Chairman of the Organising Committee, SITEI 2015, Mr Meka Olowola, “We are mindful of the possible degrading effects that extracting value from mineral resources often have on the environment and society. We have, therefore, designed the programme to include capacity building sessions focused on Strategic Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessment procedures. In line with global sustainable development, we also have a workshop on Financing Options for Green Energy in Nigeria in conjunction with the German government aimed at cleaner energy production for the long term.”