By Atoyebi Nike
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged African nations to seize control of their mineral resources and drive reforms in the global financial system, which he said has historically exploited the continent.
Speaking through Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the Second Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in New York, held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, Tinubu stressed the urgency of financing Africa’s mineral sectors independently and strengthening control over global supply chains.
“We must take the bull by the horns in financing our future. Never again shall we wait for capital to trickle in,” Tinubu said, calling for the use of sovereign wealth funds, blended finance, and innovative tools such as the proposed Africa Mineral Token.
The president outlined four imperatives: ending the cycle of raw mineral exports by building value-adding industries on African soil, securing geological data through African-led mapping, accelerating government-led exploration, and establishing financing frameworks controlled by African nations.
He cited examples of reform already underway, including Zimbabwe’s lithium export ban, Gabon’s plan to end manganese exports by 2029, and Kenya’s move to restrict raw gold exports, adding that Nigeria was fast-tracking similar measures under its Renewed Hope Agenda.
“As Chair of this Roundtable, I pledge Nigeria’s unflinching commitment to ensuring AMSG fulfils its promise of catalysing a mineral-led renaissance,” Tinubu declared.
Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who chaired the session, emphasised cohesion, transparency, and partnership as critical for Africa to harness its mineral wealth. UNDP Africa Regional Director Ahunna Eziakonwa urged African leaders to prioritise technology transfer, beneficiation, and job creation, while EU Commissioner Jozef Stkela highlighted the bloc’s new Critical Raw Materials Act and strategic partnerships with Africa.
