President Bola Tinubu has called on African countries to end the export of raw mineral resources and work together to build processing, manufacturing and technology industries that retain more of the continent’s mineral wealth.
Tinubu made the call through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented him at the third Africa Minerals Strategy Group High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa in New York on Monday.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly under the theme “From Resources to Wealth: Continental Cooperation for Mineral Value Addition, Data Sovereignty, Innovative Financing and Critical Minerals Security.”
The roundtable was convened and chaired by Tinubu alongside Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Dele Alake.
Tinubu argued that Africa’s mineral resources should no longer be treated primarily as commodities to be extracted and shipped abroad while the continent imports finished products produced from those same resources.
He said mineral-rich communities across Africa continue to face inadequate infrastructure, limited employment opportunities and insufficient participation in the economic benefits generated from their natural resources.
The President linked the urgency of reform to rising global demand for critical minerals needed for clean-energy technologies, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and other strategic industries.
According to Tinubu, Africa’s response should include mineral processing, refining, battery production, component manufacturing, technology transfer and the development of competitive technical skills.
He said the value of a mine should be measured not only by the revenue generated from extraction but also by the jobs, industries, infrastructure and technological capabilities created around it.
Tinubu also warned African countries against competing with one another by offering lower royalties, weaker local-content requirements or excessive concessions to investors.
He argued that fragmented negotiations could leave individual countries with less bargaining power while multinational companies benefit from differences in national regulations.
The President therefore called for greater continental cooperation so African countries can negotiate collectively, integrate their markets, mobilise financing and strengthen their position in global mineral supply chains.
He said no African country could achieve the desired transformation alone, particularly because developing processing plants, refineries, manufacturing facilities and related infrastructure requires significant capital and technical capacity.
Tinubu also outlined Nigeria’s own mining-sector approach, saying new mining licences should support local value addition while the country strengthens geological data, investor access, regulation and the organisation of artisanal miners into cooperatives.
He further identified illegal mining and weak regulatory accountability as issues requiring continued attention as Nigeria seeks to develop its solid minerals industry.
The President said Nigeria’s mining revenue had increased from approximately N6 billion in 2023 to more than N38 billion in 2024, before reaching between N68.1 billion and N70 billion in 2025.
He also pointed to foreign investment commitments and the development of large-scale lithium processing capacity in Nasarawa State as examples of the opportunities available when mineral extraction is linked to local industrial development.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s policy direction requires minerals extracted within the country to contribute to domestic industries, employment, skills development and economic activity.
The Nigerian leader also backed the Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration adopted at the roundtable, saying the framework should move beyond a ceremonial agreement and become a programme with clear timelines, financing arrangements, implementation structures and public accountability.
He called on participating countries to define their national and regional contributions while development finance institutions and sovereign investors develop financing platforms capable of supporting Africa’s strategic mineral corridors.
Tinubu further urged members of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group to speak with one voice when negotiating matters affecting the continent’s collective mineral interests.
He maintained that Africa should pursue partnerships based on mutual benefit, sovereign equality, fair market access and technology partnerships that strengthen African capabilities rather than deepen dependency.
The push comes as critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, graphite and rare earth elements become increasingly important to global manufacturing and the energy transition.
For Nigeria and other resource-rich African economies, the proposed shift from raw mineral exports towards processing and manufacturing would require substantial investment in power, transport, infrastructure, technical skills, financing and regulatory systems.
The roundtable therefore placed mineral value addition at the centre of a broader continental conversation about how Africa can convert its natural-resource endowment into sustainable industrial growth and greater economic participation.