Alake advocates united Africa for greater value from global minerals economy

*Dr. Oladele Alake, Minister for Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, advocates stronger regional cooperation among African countries to position the continent as a formidable force in global mineral supply chains

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Dr. Oladele Alake, Honourable Minister for Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), has advocated stronger regional cooperation among African countries to position the continent as a formidable force in global mineral supply chains.

Dr. Alake, who stated this while speaking at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Exhibition 2026, said Africa is at the centre of a new industrial era, driven by critical minerals, clean energy technologies, digital transformation, and advanced manufacturing.

The Nigerian Minister fur MSMD also observed that as Africa possesses vast deposits of lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, gold, copper, nickel and rare earth elements, the continent continues to capture only a fraction of the true economic value generated from its resources.

Lara Owoeye-Wise

Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, in a statement Wednesday, April 29, 2026, quoted Alake to have said: “For decades, Africa has remained largely an exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished products.

“This model has constrained industrial growth, weakened economic resilience and limited job creation across our nations.”

According to him, no African country, acting alone, can fully maximise opportunities emerging from the rapidly evolving global minerals market.

He further stated: “The time has come for Africa to redefine its place within the global mineral economy, and that transformation must begin with regional cooperation.”

Alake as well urged African countries to harmonise mining policies, facilitate cross-border infrastructure, promote intra-African trade and strengthen regional mineral value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Minister noted: “A fragmented Africa weakens our bargaining power.

“A united Africa strengthens our strategic relevance.”

He highlighted the rapid expansion of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, which was established in January 2023 by sixteen founding member states and has now grown to thirty-one African countries.

According to him, AMSG is the first truly continent-wide platform through which African countries are building a unified voice on mineral governance, value retention and strategic positioning in global supply chains.

Alake affirmed that the Group is advancing cooperation among member states to negotiate fairer terms with global partners, harmonise regulatory frameworks, develop shared infrastructure such as mineral corridors and processing hubs, and strengthen geological data systems to attract investment.

Dr. Alake reiterated the urgent need for value addition across Africa’s mining sector, emphasizing that the future belongs to nations and regions that process, refine, manufacture and innovate.

He stated: “Value addition is not merely an economic aspiration; it is a development imperative.

“It creates jobs for our youth, stimulates industrialisation, expands government revenues and positions Africa competitively in the industries of the future.”

He further stated that the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains presents Africa with a historic opportunity, but warned that success would require stronger governance, policy consistency, transparency, environmental responsibility and investment-friendly climates.

Dr. Alake concluded that the conversation around minerals goes beyond mining and is fundamentally about Africa’s industrial future, economic sovereignty and sustainable prosperity.

“Through visionary leadership, strategic partnerships and continental cooperation, Africa can transition from being merely resource-rich to becoming truly value-rich,” he said.

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