By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged African nations to take full control of their mineral resources and reform global financial structures that exploit the continent.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) Roundtable on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, Tinubu said Africa must finance its mineral sector through sovereign funds, blended vehicles, and initiatives like the Africa Mineral Token.
He outlined four priorities: ending raw exports through value addition, owning and standardizing geological data, accelerating government-led exploration, and funding development domestically.
Tinubu praised reforms in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Gabon, and Kenya restricting raw exports, calling them steps toward economic sovereignty. He pledged Nigeria’s commitment to a unified African minerals strategy under the AMSG.
Also at the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, called for stronger regional cooperation, while UN Assistant Secretary-General Ahunna Eziakonwa urged leaders to avoid resource exploitation. The EU’s Jozef Stkela highlighted Europe’s new partnerships in Africa to diversify critical mineral supplies.
