President Bola Tinubu has challenged world leaders at the 2025 G20 Summit to establish a fairer global framework that ensures Africa benefits from its critical mineral wealth, rather than remaining a mere supplier of raw materials.
He spoke at the Third Session of the summit held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.
Tinubu also advocated for the creation of global ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and urgent reforms to the international financial architecture to aid developing nations trapped in debt crises.
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Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu addressed the summit’s theme, “A Fair and Just Future for All: Critical Minerals, Decent Work, Artificial Intelligence.”
Tinubu argued that for Nigeria and the wider African continent, critical minerals represent more than just natural deposits; they are the key to industrial transformation.
However, he stressed that possession of these resources alone does not guarantee prosperity without a system governed by fairness and accountability.
He insisted that the wealth derived from these minerals must translate into tangible progress for the communities that host them.
“Nigeria calls for a global framework that promotes value addition at the source, supports local beneficiation, and ensures that communities hosting these resources are not left behind,” Tinubu stated.
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He added, “The issue before us reaches far beyond the narrow arithmetic of economics and speaks to the moral character of the world we aspire to build.”
The President urged the G20 to help build a future where Africa is recognised as a centre for value creation and innovation, rather than just an extraction site.
Turning to the rapid advancement of technology, Tinubu declared Nigeria’s support for global ethical standards regarding Artificial Intelligence.
He warned that while AI holds immense potential, it must be managed to serve humanity rather than reshape society at the expense of the vulnerable.
“We must ensure that AI becomes a tool of empowerment, not exclusion; of job creation, not displacement,” he said.
He called for deliberate partnerships between developed and developing nations to bridge the digital divide, urging the G20 to address systemic biases and ensure AI risks are managed responsibly.
Highlighting domestic efforts, the President noted that under his administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, Nigeria is actively investing in digital literacy and vocational training to ensure the country’s youth are future-ready.
Tinubu further stated that existing multilateral frameworks are outdated, having been “built in an era far removed” from today’s complexities.
He noted that many developing countries are grappling with systemic barriers that restrain growth, calling for a sincere approach to resolving recurring debt crises that plague the Global South.
“For trade to be truly inclusive, the G20 must take bold and deliberate steps towards reforming the international financial architecture and the global institutions that sustain it,” Tinubu said.
He warned that rising debt burdens are dragging economies back into fragility, transforming local economic difficulties into global security vulnerabilities.
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Consequently, he implored the G20 leaders to place debt sustainability at the heart of their agenda in the leaders’ declaration.
“Only a more equitable and more responsive system can manage global financial flows with fairness and meet the needs of all nations, especially those in the global south who have too often stood at the margins of global opportunity,” he noted.
