NRGI launches a training course on responsible governance in the extractive industries

The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) has announced the opening of registrations for a high-level training course on the governance of the extractive industries, scheduled to take place from 21 to 26 September 2025 in Oxford. Organised in partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government, this initiative aims to equip African and global decision-makers to manage natural resources responsibly, at a time when the energy transition is exacerbating the challenges facing the extractive sector.

Entitled "Managing Mining, Oil and Gas for National Development", the programme targets key players: ministers, chiefs of staff, directors of state-owned companies, senior civil servants in the mining, oil and gas sectors, and their advisers. Managers of private companies, specialist consultants, heads of multilateral agencies such as the IMF or the World Bank, and think tank experts are also eligible. The aim is to build their skills in governance that reconciles economic development, environmental protection and social equity.

The course will address crucial issues such as the allocation of mining licences, the taxation of extractive companies, the management of state-owned enterprises, the protection of local communities and the environment, and the use of revenues to stimulate industrialisation. These issues are particularly relevant in Africa, where countries rich in hydrocarbons and minerals, such as Ghana, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia, are facing increasing pressure to manage their resources sustainably, particularly in the context of the low-carbon transition.

The registration fee, set at £8,000 ($10,300), includes tuition, six nights' accommodation and most meals, but participants will need to cover their own travel costs and visas. Aware of the financial constraints, NRGI is offering merit-based scholarships, with priority given to public sector applicants from resource-rich countries. These scholarships will cover training costs and, in some cases, travel costs, offering a unique opportunity to African decision-makers.

The NRGI, which has been working for years to improve the governance of natural resources, is focusing on the new challenges posed by the energy transition. In Africa, where the extractive sector is an economic driver but also a source of social and environmental tensions, responsible management is crucial to maximising benefits while minimising negative impacts. This course is part of that mission, training a new generation of leaders capable of meeting these complex challenges.

With this programme, NRGI and the Blavatnik School of Government are offering a strategic learning platform that could transform the management of the extractive industries in Africa and beyond.

Les candidatures sont ouvertes jusqu’au 4 avril 2025.