30 July – Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre, actively participated in the 2025 edition of the National Extractives Dialogue (#NED2025), held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The event serves as a premier international platform convening critical stakeholders from across the extractive industries spectrum.
Organized by Spaces for Change (S4C) and partners with support from the Ford Foundation, the dialogue brought together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), media representatives, community stakeholders, regulators, and international experts to dissect the most pressing issues facing Nigeria's resource sector.
This year’s theme, “Transitions, Divestments, and Critical Minerals: Charting a Just Future for Nigeria's Extractive Sector,” provided a crucial framework for discussions aimed at navigating the complex interplay between global energy shifts, the legacy of hydrocarbon extraction, and the emerging scramble for critical minerals.
Dr. Dumnamene's presence at the dialogue ensured that the perspectives of grassroots communities and the imperative of a just transition were prominently featured in the conversations. His contributions focused on the tangible impacts of divestment by International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta and the urgent need to establish robust frameworks that prevent the escalation of environmental liabilities and protect community rights.
Furthermore, he provided critical insight into the discourse on critical minerals, emphasizing the necessity for transparent, equitable, and sustainable governance models from the outset. This, he argued, is essential to ensure that Nigeria avoids the historical pitfalls of the oil and gas era and that local communities become genuine beneficiaries of new mineral wealth.
"Dialogues like #NED2025 are indispensable," Dr. Dumnamene stated. "As the global energy landscape evolves, we must proactively chart a course for Nigeria that prioritizes justice, environmental remediation, and community empowerment. We cannot allow one transition to renewable energy to create another cycle of resource conflict and poverty in our communities. The future must be built on lessons from the past."
The National Extractives Dialogue 2025 is expected to yield a set of key policy recommendations and action points for government agencies, industry players, and civil society to collaboratively steer the sector toward a more sustainable and equitable future.