Learn about our leadership and team members today
Co–Founder, Managing Partner
Profile
Suleiman Zakari is a natural resources and energy development consultant with over 15 years of experience in Africa’s extractives industry.
He is the Managing Partner of Core International, a consultancy specializing in capital raise, policy advisory, and project development in mining and energy.
He also co-founded i-MINE, a digital platform that connects investors with mining opportunities across Africa. Suleiman has worked on copper, tin, and renewable energy projects in Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Republic of Congo.
His expertise includes government engagement, market entry strategies, and structuring investment deals. He has advised African governments across West Africa, financial institutions, and private sector players on resource development strategies.
He is Co-Chair of the African Natural Resources & Energy Summit Committee, which includes eight Federal Ministries of Nigeria tasked with promoting local value addition and regional collaboration for Africa’s critical minerals.
Suleiman also serves as an advisor to SEforAll’s Global Council on Critical Minerals and the Africa Minerals Strategy Group. Suleiman holds an undergraduate in Law, Masters in International Relations and professional qualifications in mining and project finance.
Director – Strategy & Platform Development
Profile
Archibald Troko is a unique, strategic platform developer with a proven ability to drive innovation in Business Strategy, Organisational and experiential design, and digital enterprise solutions.
Starting his career at Apple Inc., he honed his skill in Design, Internal and External Training and integrated systems in London, UK. His time at Thomson Reuters was spent developing the emerging FindLaw platform, underscoring his adaptability to evolving industry needs and new market trends.
As the current Head of Strategy and Platform Development at Core International, he led the development of the i-MINE platform, transforming stakeholder engagement in Africa’s mining sector, while also overseeing the execution of the Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit. Archibald has developed several next-generation Corporate Training Programmes and education platforms, developing a CPD Training platform for the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s World-Class Medical School.
Forever a student, Archibald continues to expand his expertise, bridging technology, strategy, and user experience to drive digital transformation across multiple sectors.
Director – Programme & Projects
Profile
Desmond Anyanwu is a highly skilled project and programme strategist with cross-sector leadership experience across Africa and the UK.
As Programme Director at Core International, he leads on strategy execution, partnership development, and programme delivery, drawing on over 15 years of combined experience in commodities trading, infrastructure development, digital transformation, and public sector innovation.
Desmond’s career spans energy, mining, maritime, and public sector transformation. At Bovis Oil, he led multi-million-dollar agreements, including marine logistics partnerships and an $80M trade facility to enhance South African energy access.
He advanced Core International Mining’s footprint and led major summits like AFNIS, uniting governments and financiers. His work bridges government ambition and investor action, supporting renewable and mining projects across Africa.
Currently, he drives transformation programmes for a London authority, designing commercial frameworks and advising on governance. Desmond holds a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering and professional training in Procurement and Programme Management, enabling multidisciplinary leadership.
Co–Founder, Managing Director – i-MINE
Profile
Dr. Lawal is an expert in Mining Investments in Africa, having produced a thesis on investing in Africa, he developed the i-MINE platform, a world-class technology that makes investing in Africa easier than ever. He has a deep knowledge and experience of Africa, making it easy for him to identify and locate bankable projects in Africa taking into account the risks involved.
He has also developed a wide range of contacts within the mining investment field having led high-level delegations to conferences around the world.
In senior advisor roles, Dr. Lawal has worked closely with the Minister of Mines and Steel Development of Nigeria, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of Nigeria, and most recently with the Minister of State of Finance in Nigeria, helping to shape Nigeria’s mining and international trade policies. His expertise extended to leading negotiations on multiple bilateral Investment Protection Agreements.
He worked for Signet Trading UK as a Sales Associate between 2005 and 2008, worked for SOCPP Holdings UK from 2014-2015, leading project negotiations around the world, and as an academic has worked for the University of Newcastle, UK between 2016 and 2018, before founding Core International Mining and Marketing.
Abubakar’s unique background in research and data gathering, knowledge of Africa, along with business experiences in securing investments, has allowed him to thrive and drive the sector forward.
Director – Core Capital Markets
Team Lead – Core Capital Markets
Team Lead – Business Development
Government Liaison
Lead – Marketing & Partnerships
Media Executive