President Bola Tinubu has called on African nations to take greater control of their mineral resources and strengthen their role in global supply chains. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he urged countries to finance their mineral sectors and protect their sovereignty through collective action.
Speaking at the Africa Minerals Strategy Group High-Level Roundtable, President Tinubu said Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials and instead build industries on the continent. He highlighted examples such as Zimbabwe’s ban on raw lithium exports and Nigeria’s own reforms aimed at boosting value-added production.
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Tinubu stressed the need for continent-wide geological mapping, government-led mineral exploration and the use of innovative financial tools such as the Africa Mineral Token. He added that Africa’s data on mineral resources should be standardized and owned by Africans themselves.
The President commended Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Minister, Dr Dele Alake, who chaired the meeting, and pledged Nigeria’s commitment to a mineral-led renaissance. International partners, including the European Union and the United Nations, also called for fairer partnerships to ensure Africa benefits fully from its resources.
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