African Ministers Push Local Processing of Critical Minerals

A high-level ministerial forum in Côte d'Ivoire has concluded with a forceful call for African nations to take greater control of the continent's vast mineral resources through local processing, regional integration, and data sovereignty. The Ministerial Forum on Critical Minerals, held in Abidjan under the auspices of the African Development Bank (AfDB), brought together more than 20 ministers, development financiers, and industry representatives to address the persistent paradox of Africa's resource wealth failing to translate into broad economic development.

Nigerian Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake delivered a central appeal, urging mineral-producing countries to move beyond isolated national approaches and adopt coordinated regional strategies. He argued Africa must end its role as a mere exporter of raw materials and instead develop policies to capture greater value at home. Alake, who chairs the Africa Mineral Strategy Group, said concrete strategies are needed to ensure total economic freedom. A key pillar of this shift, he stated, is achieving sovereignty over the technical systems used to assess mineral resources. He criticized the continent's...