President Bola Tinubu has extended his warmest congratulations to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, following his unanimous re-election as the Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategic Group (AMSG).
The minister’s renewal of leadership occurred during the group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on the sidelines of the prestigious Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh.
Alake, who was first elected as the pioneer chairman in 2024, will now steer the continental body for another term, representing the collective interests of 24 member nations.
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In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the re-election as a “clear vote of confidence” in Alake’s strategic advocacy.
He noted that under Alake’s guidance, Africa has found a united voice to challenge the historical trend of raw mineral exportation without local benefit.
“His commitment and pan-African vision to ensure our continent derives the greatest benefits from our mineral resources are commendable,” the President stated.
“He has led a reform agenda that is transforming the sector into a major contributor to our national economy.”
The 2026 AGM was not just about leadership renewal; it marked a significant institutional overhaul for the AMSG.
To ensure regional inclusivity and operational efficiency, the ministers approved a new governance structure.
Alake of Nigeria was appointed Chairman, representing West Africa, while Louis Watum Kabamba of DR Congo became Vice-Chairman, representing Central Africa.
Uganda retained the Secretary-General position, and Mauritania and South Africa assumed the roles of Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary, respectively.
Alake’s acceptance speech underscored a shift from “extraction to transformation,” emphasising that mineral production alone cannot deliver economic miracles without integrated infrastructure like the Lobito and Lagos–Abidjan corridors.
Tinubu highlighted that Alake’s work at the continental level perfectly mirrors Nigeria’s domestic Renewed Hope Agenda.
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This includes prioritising local processing and smelting to keep wealth within Africa, creating predictable and harmonised regulatory frameworks to de-risk the sector for private capital and ensuring that the global energy transition—which relies heavily on Africa’s lithium, copper, and cobalt—translates into tangible employment for African youths.
The Federal Government (FG) has pledged continued support for the AMSG as it moves to establish standing committees on Legal Affairs, Sustainability, and Finance to ensure that Africa remains a “key player, not a spectator” in the global critical minerals value chain.
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