Tinubu Urges African Alliance to End Raw Mineral Exports

President Bola Tinubu called for an aggressive alliance among African nations to end the historical exploitation of the continent's critical mineral resources. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) High-Level Roundtable during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Tinubu urged countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead develop local processing and manufacturing to retain wealth.

Tinubu argued that fragmentation weakens negotiating power and warned that competing for investment through lower royalties and weak local-content requirements undermines the continent. He cited Nigeria's mining reforms as a model, noting that revenue increased from 6 billion naira in 2023 to approximately 70 billion naira in 2025, supported by lithium processing capacity in Nasarawa State.

The roundtable resulted in the adoption of the Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration (CIEAD), a framework designed to unify critical mineral value chains and create mineral corridors. Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, proposed the declaration and called for the formalization of artisanal mining to improve safety and traceability. Kenya's Minister of Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Ali Joho, emphasized the importance of domestic resource mobilization, transparent licensing, and the sharing of geological data.