President Bola Tinubu has called on African nations to form a strong continental alliance to end the decades-long practice of exporting raw critical minerals, urging leaders to prioritise local processing, manufacturing and value addition so that the continent’s mineral wealth benefits its people rather than external markets.
Speaking through Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 3rd Africa Minerals Strategy Group High-Level Roundtable on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, the President said Africa can no longer afford to remain a supplier of raw materials to global industries while mineral-rich communities lack infrastructure, jobs and a stake in their own wealth. The roundtable, convened and chaired by Tinubu alongside AMSG Chairman and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake, adopted the theme “From Resources to Wealth: Continental Cooperation for Mineral Value Addition, Data Sovereignty, Innovative Financing and Critical Minerals Security.”
Tinubu warned that fragmentation leaves Africa exporting raw materials and buying back finished goods at a premium, stressing that cooperation would give the continent’s markets scale, industries integration, financing reach and negotiations authority. He noted that rising global demand for critical minerals driven by clean energy, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing presents a historic opportunity for Africa to transform its mineral endowment into sustainable economic growth.
Highlighting Nigeria’s reforms, the President disclosed that mining revenue rose from approximately N6 billion in 2023 to over N38 billion in 2024 and between N68.1 billion and N70 billion in 2025. He cited major foreign investment commitments and the development of large-scale lithium processing capacity in Nasarawa State as evidence of the possibilities under the new policy direction. Tinubu also called for reliable partnerships grounded in mutual benefit, shared responsibility and sovereign equality, while imploring AMSG member countries to speak with one voice in promoting Africa’s collective interest. Podium Reporters gathered that the Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration adopted at the roundtable is expected to establish a predictable, investment-ready environment for Africa’s strategic mineral corridors.
Suggest a sensational unique headline