By Muhyideen Jimoh
President Bola Tinubu has urged the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) members to unite in advancing Africa’s interests, drive value addition, and end the continent’s role as a mere raw material supplier.
Tinubu made the call on Tuesday while receiving a delegation of the AMSG at the State House, Abuja.
AMSG is a forum of African ministers responsible for mining and solid minerals.
The Nigerian leader serves as Grand Patron of the group, which is chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake.
This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The president said the group has a critical role to play in strengthening Africa’s bargaining power in the global minerals market and ensuring that the continent derives maximum value from its vast natural resources.
“We should avoid bureaucracy and deceit; we must put an end to exploitation.
“The rest of the world will not mind if your country becomes a cesspit of dams and rubbish while excavating your raw materials without adding value.
“It is our responsibility to collaborate and cooperate to ensure that these minerals bring value to us, bring technology to us, and create prosperity for our people,” Tinubu said.
He stressed that African countries must invest more in research, development and refining capacity to maximise the benefits of their mineral wealth.
“It is about how much each country is willing to invest in research, development and refinery.
“I see no reason why we cannot centralise that conversation somewhere on the continent and utilise it to enhance our knowledge-based economy, improve quality of life and create prosperity for our people,” he added.
Tinubu emphasised that Africa possesses enormous mineral resources that should be strategically harnessed to drive industrialisation, create jobs and accelerate economic transformation across the continent.
He noted that the era of exporting raw minerals without local processing and beneficiation must give way to a new model that promotes investment in local industries, technology transfer and value-chain development capable of retaining wealth within Africa.
Earlier, Alake expressed appreciation to the President for his support for Nigeria’s mineral sector and efforts to promote local value addition and economic diversification.
He said Tinubu’s policies had encouraged artisanal miners, strengthened local beneficiation and inspired similar initiatives across the continent.
“You encouraged us to focus on the core objective of this group, which is to ensure that Africa’s natural resources, especially critical minerals, are processed and utilised for the benefit of Africans,” Alake said.
According to him, some African countries have already moved to ban the export of raw minerals as part of efforts to strengthen domestic industries and increase earnings from the sector.
Alake informed the President that AMSG members were in Abuja for the fifth edition of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026).
He said the summit would provide a platform for African leaders to advance a new continental approach to resource management and industrial development.
The summit, themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” aims to position Africa as a major player in the global critical minerals value chain through beneficiation, industrialisation and strategic cooperation among member states.
Alake reaffirmed AMSG’s commitment to protecting Africa’s interests and increasing the value and revenue accruing to the continent from its mineral resources in line with Tinubu’s vision. (NAN)
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