Nigeria Chosen to Lead New African Mining Coalition

The federal government of Nigeria has announced its selection to chair the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), a newly formed coalition within the mining industry. This significant election underscores new opportunities for Nigeria to expand its presence in the global mining sector.

Segun Tomori, the media aide to Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, conveyed this news in a statement on Tuesday. According to the statement, Alake was unanimously chosen as the inaugural chairman of the group during the 30th edition of Investing in Africa Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa. The event was attended by various ministers of mineral development from countries such as Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia.

During the signing of the resolution, Alake emphasized the need for African leaders to join forces in order to fully capitalize on the continent’s mineral resources. He stressed the importance of prioritizing value-addition as a prerequisite for investment in the mining industry, signalling the end of an era where solid minerals were simply extracted and exported.

Alake highlighted the current global economic interest in Africa and its critical metals essential for the energy transition, asserting that unity among African nations is crucial. He outlined the vision for the coalition as a platform to unify regulations and laws governing the mining sector across different African countries, thereby fostering transparency and fairness in the industry.

Furthermore, the minister expressed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, to fully support the objectives of the group. The statement also indicated that over 15 countries have pledged their backing for this collaborative initiative.

This watershed moment marks a significant step forward for Nigeria in the field of mining, and the election of Alake as the chairman of AMSG testifies to the country’s emerging leadership role in the global arena. The government’s dedication to uniting African nations in their approach to mining not only promises to usher in a new era of transparency and fairness but also signifies the continent’s growing importance in the global mining industry.