By Palma Ileye
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called on African countries to end the export of raw minerals, insisting that the continent must stop “exporting prosperity and importing poverty.”
Alake made the call yesterday while declaring the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 closed at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
He argued that Africa must move away from the long-standing practice of exporting raw mineral resources only to import finished products at significantly higher costs, stressing that value addition within the continent is essential for economic transformation.
“The direction is very clear,” the Minister said. “There is no divergence of interest in Africa. We all want to stop the exportation of prosperity and the importation of poverty. Every discussion, technical presentation and proposal at this summit has been geared towards achieving that singular objective.”
According to him, Africa’s current generation has a responsibility to steer the continent away from unequal patterns of trade toward a system that promotes mutual prosperity through efficient exploration, responsible extraction and local beneficiation of mineral resources.
Alake also urged African leaders and stakeholders not to be discouraged by the numerous challenges confronting the mining sector, describing them as opportunities for innovation and growth.
“Challenges are not meant to discourage us but to reinvigorate us. When you overcome them, the victory becomes even sweeter. We must work assiduously to overcome these obstacles for the benefit of this generation and generations to come,” he said.
The Minister maintained that practical solutions, rather than endless complaints, would enable Africa to unlock the full value of its abundant natural resources.
During the closing ceremony, Alake witnessed the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Africans for Africa (AFA) Initiative and Steron International Resources Limited aimed at accelerating the development of lithium and rare earth minerals in Nigeria.
Under the agreement, Steron will receive dedicated capital support and specialised technical optimisation to ensure the project meets international standards for bankability, environmental sustainability and operational excellence.
The Minister also officially assumed office as Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), receiving the organisation’s gavel, charter and certificate confirming Nigeria’s election as the group’s inaugural chair.
Presenting the instruments of office, AMSG Secretary-General, Moses Michael Engadu described the appointment as a significant milestone for both Nigeria and the African continent.
He said the Minister’s leadership would help guide Africa’s mineral development agenda and promote a unified strategy for harnessing the continent’s vast mineral resources for shared prosperity.
The AFNIS 2026 summit was held under the theme, “One Africa, One Resource Vision.”
