Africans for Africa (AFA) Initiative has appointed Sam Jonah as Chair of its Advisory Board, tasked with overseeing governance, investment direction and stakeholder engagement for the Africans for Africa Fund.
The fund is designed to mobilize African capital for mineral development, with a focus on project financing and downstream beneficiation across the continent.
In a statement, the organization said the appointment sees Jona, Executive Chairman of Jona Capital, head up its advisory structure as it seeks to bridge the funding gap in the mining sector by pooling regional capital and expertise.
The initiative states that the advisory board will provide strategic guidance on investment decisions targeting indigenous mining projects and processing activities, with the aim of enhancing domestic value retention in Africa's extractive industry.
Jonah previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Ashanti Goldfields, where he led its expansion from a single mine operator to a multinational producer.
In 1996, Ashanti became the first operating African company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under his leadership. Following the merger with AngloGold Ashanti in 2004, he served as executive chairman of the combined group.
He is currently the Chairman of Zona Capital with investments in mining, financial services and agriculture across Africa. His board experience includes roles on the Vodafone Group, Standard Bank Group and Bank of America Global Advisory Council.
Other members of the Africans for Africa Advisory Board include Kwasi Kwarteng; Segun Lawson, Chief Executive Officer of Thor Exploration PLC; Osam Iahene, Senior Director Investments at Africa Finance Corporation; and Zenzi Awase, Chair of Women in Mining Africa, alongside professionals from finance, law and public policy.
