The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) has welcomed Nigeria officially as a landmark step in the nation’s strategic shift toward regional collaboration, sustainable development, and value addition in the extractive sector.
The group is leading efforts to regulate raw mineral exports, prioritise value addition, and promote mineral security across the continent. The signing signals Nigeria’s readiness to cooperate in building regional mineral value chains, industrial corridors, and cross-border beneficiation infrastructure.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chief Host of the Summit, Dr. Dele Alake, announced this in Abuja, in a communiqué at the close of the 4th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2025).
Alake stated that Nigeria’s accession to the AMSG positions it at the forefront of a continental effort to regulate raw mineral exports, promote local processing, and secure mineral resources across Africa.
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to lead reforms that utilise the country’s natural resources to promote industrialisation, generate employment, and attain sustainable economic transformation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Alake said, “By joining the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to building regional mineral value chains, industrial corridors, and beneficiation infrastructure that will keep wealth within Africa.”
The summit addressed Africa’s long-standing reliance on raw exports. AMSG is now working to regulate exports and encourage local beneficiation. Nigeria’s reforms, including formalising artisanal mining and establishing the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company, are positioning it to attract global players in emerging sectors such as battery production and electric vehicle manufacturing.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, called on African nations to become “co-architects of our future” through investments that generate jobs and promote environmental stewardship.
Nigeria’s formal signing of the AMSG Charter consolidates its commitment to a unified African approach to mineral development. This includes value addition, exploration financing, and securing critical mineral supply chains.
The key highlights and commitments include, “Prioritising Local Content and Value Addition: A central tenet of the summit was the imperative to move beyond the export of raw materials.
“Emphasis was placed on building robust local value chains, processing minerals on African soil, and promoting Nigeria First policies (as exemplified by the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board when it comes to the supply of Baryte) to prioritise local human and material resources in natural resource operations. New mining licenses, for instance, should mandate local processing plans.
“Another remarkable highlight, which also underscores the summit theme, was the high-level tour of the Asba and Wisdom International Lithium Processing Plant. Transforming the Energy Sector: Discussions underscored Africa’s growing energy sector and the critical role of energy access for socio-economic progress. Initiatives like Nigeria’s presidential compressed natural gas (CNG) program were highlighted as successful models.
“The importance of regional energy integration projects and the establishment of transparent electricity trading marketplaces (e.g. Nigerian Energy Exchange championed by Nbet) were also stressed. Efforts to mobilise resources and investments for the energy sector are ongoing.
“Strategic Development of Mineral Resources: The summit addressed the historical challenge of Africa being a supplier of raw materials. The Africa Mineral Strategy Group (AMSG) is actively working to regulate raw mineral exports and champion local processing.
“Reforms in the mining sector, including formalisation, value addition, and attracting global players through entities like the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company, are crucial. The potential for Africa to foster battery and electric vehicle industries, utilising its critical mineral resources, was a key point of discussion.”
