President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to transforming Africa’s mining sector after receiving a high-level delegation of African ministers under the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) at the State House in Abuja.
The delegation, led by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, who also serves as Chairman of the AMSG, met with the President on Tuesday to discuss strategies for strengthening Africa’s position in the global minerals value chain. Discussions focused on regional cooperation, responsible mining practices and the development of policies aimed at ensuring African countries derive greater economic benefits from their vast natural resources.
During the meeting, President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting sustainable mining, encouraging local value addition and strengthening partnerships among African nations. He stressed the importance of leveraging mineral resources to drive industrialisation, job creation and long-term economic growth across the continent.
Alake briefed the President on ongoing efforts by the Africa Minerals Strategy Group to establish a unified continental framework for minerals development. According to him, the initiative seeks to harmonise policies, attract responsible investment and promote equitable benefit-sharing among member states while ensuring environmental sustainability.
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group was established as a platform through which African countries can coordinate policies and collectively negotiate better outcomes within the global minerals industry. The group is also working to encourage local processing of minerals rather than the export of raw materials, a move seen as critical to accelerating economic development across the continent.
Industry experts have long argued that Africa possesses some of the world’s most valuable mineral deposits but has historically gained limited value from them due to inadequate processing infrastructure and weak policy coordination. Supporters of the AMSG initiative believe stronger collaboration could help reverse this trend and position Africa as a major force in global supply chains.
Photographs released after the meeting showed President Tinubu in discussions with members of the delegation. Although no major agreements were announced immediately, observers say the engagement reflects Nigeria’s ambition to play a leading role in shaping Africa’s future minerals and mining agenda.
The meeting comes as countries across the continent seek new pathways to economic diversification and sustainable development through strategic management of natural resources.
