Oladele Alake, minister of Solid Minerals Development, has called for stronger regional cooperation among African countries to increase the continent’s share of value from the global minerals market.
Speaking at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Exhibition 2026, Alake said Africa risks remaining a marginal player in global supply chains despite its vast mineral resources.
He said the continent holds significant deposits of lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, gold, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, which are critical to clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
In a statement by Lara Owoeye-Wise, it stated that the minister, however, noted that Africa continues to capture only a small portion of the economic value generated from these resources due to its reliance on exporting raw materials.
“For decades, Africa has remained largely an exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished products. This has limited industrial growth and job creation,” he said.
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Alake warned that no single African country can fully maximise opportunities in the fast-evolving global minerals market without collaboration.
He urged governments to align mining policies, strengthen cross-border infrastructure, and deepen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
According to him, a fragmented approach weakens Africa’s bargaining power, while coordinated action can improve the continent’s position in global supply chains.
The minister also highlighted the expansion of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, which has grown from 16 founding countries in 2023 to 31 member states.
He said the group is working to build a unified platform for negotiating better terms with international partners, harmonising regulations, and developing shared infrastructure such as mineral processing hubs and transport corridors.
Alake stressed that value addition remains critical to unlocking the sector’s economic potential.
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He said countries that invest in processing, refining and manufacturing will benefit more from the global shift towards clean energy and digital technologies.
According to him, increasing local value addition would boost industrialisation, expand government revenues and create jobs across the continent.
He added that changes in global supply chains present Africa with an opportunity to reposition itself but warned that success will depend on policy consistency, transparency and investment-friendly environments.
Alake said the minerals sector should be viewed as central to Africa’s broader economic transformation.
He said with stronger cooperation and strategic planning, the continent can move beyond being resource-rich to becoming value-rich.
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