African Ministers of Minerals, yesterday, re-elected Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), calling on nations to unite and harness solid minerals as a catalyst for economic growth and industrial development.

The AMSG is a continental ministerial forum committed to coordinated action aimed at maximising value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources.

Alake was first unanimously elected as the pioneer Chairman of the AMSG in 2024 on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF). He was re-elected at the group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on the margins of the FMF in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As part of efforts to strengthen its institutional framework, the AMSG approved the creation of additional leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General, and Financial Secretary.

The forum further resolved that these positions be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.

While the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other positions are appointed by member states to which they are zoned.

Under the new leadership structure, Alake continues as Chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa. Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman, representing Central Africa. The position of Secretary-General remains with Uganda (East Africa), Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (North Africa), while South Africa was assigned the position of Financial Secretary.

The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the newly elected executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that where a serving minister is replaced, the successor automatically assumes the role.

In his acceptance speech, Alake expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the renewed confidence reposed in him, stressing the urgent need for African nations to work collaboratively to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals development.

He called on member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and to refine the group’s budgeting framework to strengthen its operational effectiveness.