Dele Alake, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has said Africa must build the capacity to process its critical minerals locally instead of exporting raw materials and importing finished products,
Alake, who is also chairperson of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) Ministerial Steering Committee, said Africa’s mineral resources should be used to support industrialisation and create more economic value on the continent.
“Africa’s critical minerals are no longer simply a geological opportunity; they are a strategic economic opportunity,” Alake said.
He said recent measures by countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe show that African governments are seeking to retain more value from their mineral resources.
However, Alake said restricting mineral exports should not be the end goal.
