The Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dele Alake, has advocated for a fundamental shift in Africa’s approach to its vast mineral wealth.
He called for a transition from a supplier of raw materials to a global centre for mineral processing and industrialisation.
He said this while delivering the keynote address at the African Mining Week in Cape Town, themed “Vision & Strategy – Setting the stage for Minerals Industrialisation”.
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Alake stated that the current paradox of African minerals powering industrialisation elsewhere while the continent remains underdeveloped must come to an end.
“Our vision must be clear: to move from extractive dependence to transformative industrialisation,” the minister declared, underscoring Africa’s strategic importance as home to deposits crucial for clean energy, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and global security.
He stressed the urgency of creating local opportunities, noting, “Our youth should no longer seek jobs abroad while opportunities lie buried beneath their feet. The time to industrialise is now.”
Represented at the event by Permanent Secretary Farouk Yabo, Alake provided insight into the ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector.
These include: Incentivising local beneficiation, spanning activities from gold refining to lithium processing, revoking dormant licenses to encourage serious investment, strengthening governance and transparency to attract reputable global partners and developing a national critical minerals strategy.
In a related engagement, the Minister addressed the AMSG ministerial roundtable on the sidelines of the event, emphasising Nigeria’s push to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
He highlighted efforts to digitise mining processes, focusing on data accessibility and mineral traceability.
Alake also mentioned ongoing efforts to amend the 2007 Minerals and Mining Act to establish a more robust legislative framework that will attract investments.
He affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring mineral traceability from mining to monetisation, specifying that the nation’s minerals must originate from either licensed holders or a registered seller purchasing from formalised Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM).
Echoing sentiments from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Alake stressed the need for African nations to prioritise mineral resource mapping and ensure that only licensed operators are mining.
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The African Mining Week saw attendance by Ministers from the DRC, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone, while Nigeria, Gambia, and Ghana sent representatives.
The Nigerian delegation also presented on investment opportunities, reforms, and the nation’s mineral endowments during the country spotlight session.
