Investment Investment Opportunities

Alake Calls for African Unity to Boost Mineral Value

by admin on | 2026-04-30 12:13:18

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 26

---

Alake Calls for African Unity to Boost Mineral Value

By Ahmad Sirajo Makama, Abuja

African nations have been urged to deepen regional cooperation to position the continent as a major force in global mineral supply chains.

Speaking at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Exhibition 2026, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Dele Alake, said Africa is at the centre of a new industrial era driven by critical minerals, clean energy technologies, digital transformation, and advanced manufacturing.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Lara Owoeye-Wise, Alake noted that despite Africa’s vast deposits of lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, gold, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, the continent continues to capture only a small share of the economic value derived from these resources.

“For decades, Africa has remained largely an exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished products. This model has constrained industrial growth, weakened economic resilience, and limited job creation,” he said.

He stressed that no single African country can fully harness the opportunities in the rapidly evolving global minerals market alone.

“The time has come for Africa to redefine its place within the global mineral economy, and that transformation must begin with regional cooperation,” Alake stated.

The minister called for the harmonisation of mining policies, improved cross-border infrastructure, enhanced intra-African trade, and stronger regional mineral value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“A fragmented Africa weakens our bargaining power. A united Africa strengthens our strategic relevance,” he added.

Alake also highlighted the expansion of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, established in January 2023 with 16 founding member states and now comprising 31 countries. He described the group as the first continent-wide platform for building a unified African voice on mineral governance and value retention.

According to him, the group is fostering cooperation to secure fairer deals with global partners, align regulatory frameworks, develop shared infrastructure such as mineral corridors and processing hubs, and improve geological data systems to attract investment.

He emphasised the need for value addition in Africa’s mining sector, noting that future economic success lies in processing, refining, manufacturing, and innovation.

“Value addition is not merely an economic aspiration; it is a development imperative. It creates jobs, drives industrialisation, increases government revenue, and positions Africa competitively in future industries,” he said.

Alake further warned that while shifting global supply chains present Africa with a historic opportunity, success will depend on improved governance, policy consistency, transparency, environmental responsibility, and investor-friendly policies.

He noted that Africa’s mineral conversation goes beyond extraction, focusing instead on industrial growth, economic sovereignty, and sustainable development.

“Through visionary leadership, strategic partnerships, and continental cooperation, Africa can transition from being resource-rich to truly value-rich,” he said.