The Federal Government has called on African countries to work together to develop and add value to the continent’s mineral resources instead of exporting raw materials.
The call was made at a high-level roundtable on critical minerals development in Africa held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said Africa must focus on processing, refining and manufacturing from its mineral resources to create jobs, industries and economic opportunities on the continent.
Tinubu said countries must strengthen cooperation, improve local content and attract investment in mineral processing and related industries.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Dele Alake, said the group was proposing a Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration to create a framework for developing Africa’s critical mineral value chains.
Alake urged more African countries to join the group, saying greater cooperation was needed in financing, infrastructure and mineral development.
Participants at the meeting also called for greater transparency, alignment of licensing procedures and domestic mobilisation of resources to support the continent’s mining sector.
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