Unite, catalyse economy through solid minerals — Alake urges African ministers

… re-elected as AMSG Chair

African countries must act in unison to unlock the continent’s vast economic potential through solid minerals development, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said as he was re-elected chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).

Alake made the call after emerging chairman of the continental ministerial forum for a second term at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the AMSG, held on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was first unanimously elected as the pioneer chairman of the group in 2024.

The AMSG, which brings together African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, is focused on coordinated action to maximise value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s mineral resources. The forum also approved a stronger institutional framework with the creation of new leadership positions, including vice-chairman, deputy secretary-general and financial secretary, to be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions.

ALSO READ: Gold, lithium plants position Nigeria as Africa’s minerals supply hub – Alake

A statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, stated that while the positions of chairman and vice-chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other roles are to be filled by member states according to agreed zoning arrangements.

Under the new structure, Alake continues as chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa. The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected vice-chairman for Central Africa.

Uganda retains the position of secretary-general for East Africa, Mauritania was appointed deputy secretary-general for North Africa, while South Africa was assigned the post of financial secretary.

The AGM ratified a two-year tenure for the executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, meaning that any replacement of a serving minister automatically transfers the role to a successor.

In his acceptance remarks, Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and stressed the urgency of collective action to catalyse Africa’s economy through solid minerals. He urged member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and to refine the group’s budgeting framework to improve effectiveness.

“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” he said.

The meeting also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial sessions and approved the establishment of standing committees covering legal, institutional and human resources matters, sustainability and responsible mining, as well as finance, budget and resource mobilisation. Ministers further agreed to begin steps towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to the Future Minerals Forum.

Earlier, at a leadership roundtable themed ‘Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production’, Alake warned that mineral production alone would not deliver lasting economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies and deliberate value-addition strategies.

He pointed to the Lobito Corridor as an example of what is possible when rail, ports, energy systems and policy alignment work together, adding that similar opportunities exist across the continent. These include the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire; the Walvis Bay Corridor serving Southern Africa’s mining regions; and the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors supporting East and Central Africa.

“The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability,” the minister said. “What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives.”

He argued that unlocking capital at scale would require bankable offtake arrangements, predictable and harmonised cross-border regulations, alignment of rail, port, power and industrial planning, as well as clear pathways for processing, smelting, logistics services and industrial clusters.

According to Alake, the broader vision of the AMSG is to ensure Africa’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed and efficiently managed in a rapidly changing global environment, in a way that supports transparency, long-term stability and shared economic prosperity across the continent.