Annual Sustainability in Extractive Industries conference Thursday in Nigeria

Nigerian business and ethical-networking platform and sustainability consultant group  CSR-in-Action will co-host the fourth annual Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) conference on Thursday in Abuja with the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Nigerian Government Chapter of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Conference attendees will include government officials, industry leaders, and various experts and investors. The focus will be on the development of a four-year timeline for strategies to capitalize on an estimated $100 billion in economic potential from the nation's extractive industries.

The theme for the conference is "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," CSR-in-Action Executive Director Bekeme Masade said. "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.”

In partnership with Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, CSR-in-Action also will offer a post-event training session, “Energy and Mining Development: Opportunities and Threats.”

"Robert Gordon University is happy to partner with CSR-in-Action to provide the post-SITEI training," Robert Gordon Professor Stephen Vertigans, head of the university's School of Applied Social Sciences, said. "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."

More than 400 attendees are expected at the conference, which will feature a slate of speakers from all over Africa.

“We are mindful of the possible degrading effects that extracting value from mineral resources often have on the environment and society," said Meka Olowola, national chairman of the 2015 SITEI organizing committee. "We have, therefore, designed the program 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.”