President Bola Tinubu has called for stronger continental cooperation to end the exploitation of Africa’s critical mineral resources and ensure the continent benefits more from its mineral wealth.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu made the call at the third Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The President urged African countries to move away from exporting raw minerals and focus on processing, refining, manufacturing and other forms of value addition. He said mineral-rich communities should benefit through jobs, infrastructure, technology transfer and increased participation in local industries, particularly as global demand for critical minerals rises due to clean energy, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
Tinubu said African countries needed to negotiate collectively rather than compete through lower royalties, weaker local-content requirements and excessive concessions. He highlighted Nigeria’s mining reforms, including requirements for local value addition, improved geological data, formalisation of artisanal mining, stronger action against illegal mining and enhanced regulatory accountability.
Earlier, Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of AMSG, Dele Alake, proposed a Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration to create a unified framework for Africa’s critical minerals value chains. The declaration is expected to provide a predictable environment for investment in strategic mineral corridors.
Also, Kenya’s Minister of Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Ali-Joho, called for greater domestic resource mobilisation, transparency, competitiveness and alignment of licensing procedures across African countries.
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