News
…calls for Africa’s role in global green economy
Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr. Dele Alake, has called for a continental vision to transform Africa from a mere supplier of raw minerals into a global hub for mineral processing, innovation, and green industrialization.
Speaking during the African Mining Week in Cape Town, South Africa, themed “Vision & Strategy – Setting the Stage for Minerals Industrialization,” Alake emphasised Africa’s strategic role in powering the 21st-century economy through its vast mineral wealth.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by his special assistant on media, Segun Tomori, the minister noted that Africa possesses some of the richest mineral deposits in the world — resources essential for clean energy, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and global security.
“Africa’s minerals have powered industrialization elsewhere while our own economies remain under-industrialized. This paradox must end. Our vision must be clear: to move from extractive dependence to transformative industrialization,” Alake stated.
Read Also: Tinubu hails ex-CDS Irabor at 60, describes him as a true war commander
He added, “Our youth should no longer seek jobs abroad while opportunities lie buried beneath their feet. The time to industrialize is now. Let us set the stage for an Africa that is not just a participant in the global minerals economy, but a driver of its future.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s ongoing mining reforms, Alake — represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Farouk Yabo — said the country is promoting local beneficiation from gold refining to lithium processing, revoking dormant licenses to attract serious investors, and strengthening transparency and governance to draw credible global partners.
He also disclosed that Nigeria is developing a National Critical Minerals Strategy as part of its broader plan to foster industrial growth and sustainable development.
In a related engagement, Alake addressed the ministerial roundtable of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) on the sidelines of the mining week, where he reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to building a $1 trillion economy by 2030 through value addition and strategic mineral development.
His words, “We are investing in digitizing mining processes from data accessibility to mineral traceability. We are also focusing on bequeathing strong institutions and the right policies to drive reforms, hence the ongoing efforts to amend the 2007 Minerals and Mining Act to provide a more robust legislative framework that will propel investments in the mining sector”.
He emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to ensure traceability from mining to monetization, affirming that the nation’s minerals are set to come from two sources: licensed holders or sellers and suppliers buying from Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) who are registered and formalized.
Echoing the sentiments expressed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Alake stressed that African countries must prioritize mapping their mineral resources to better understand the location and scale of deposits
“After national mapping, it is the duty of countries to ensure only licensed operators are mining. We must also build adequate capacity for effective supervision,” he said.
At the country’s spotlight session where the Permanent Secretary gave a presentation on Investment opportunities in the solid minerals sector, highlighting key reforms, incentives for investments, and a synopsis of the nation’s mineral endowments.
The African Mining Week was attended by Mining & Minerals Ministers from DRC, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone. Nigeria, Gambia, and Ghana sent representatives, whilst major private sector players on the continent also graced the conference.