President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on member countries of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) to unite in protecting Africa’s mineral resources and ensuring the continent benefits fully from its vast natural wealth.
Speaking while receiving a delegation of the AMSG at the State House, Abuja, the President said African nations must work together to promote value addition, strengthen their bargaining power, and prevent the continued export of raw minerals without corresponding benefits to the continent.
Tinubu stressed that Africa should no longer serve merely as a source of raw materials for the rest of the world, urging member states to invest in research, development, refining, and technology to maximize the value of their mineral resources.
He emphasized that collaboration among African countries would help create jobs, drive industrialisation, encourage technology transfer, and improve the quality of life for citizens across the continent.
The President further noted that Africa possesses enormous mineral wealth capable of transforming economies if properly managed through local processing and beneficiation rather than the export of unprocessed raw materials.
Earlier, the Chairman of the AMSG and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, commended President Tinubu for supporting reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector, particularly policies aimed at promoting local value addition and economic diversification.
Alake said several African countries are already adopting similar approaches, including measures to restrict the export of raw minerals in order to encourage domestic processing and industrial development.
He explained that AMSG members were in Abuja for the Fifth African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026), where stakeholders are expected to advance discussions on resource management, industrialisation, and greater cooperation among African nations.
The summit, themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” seeks to position Africa as a major player in the global critical minerals value chain through beneficiation, industrial growth, and strategic continental partnerships.
