African Ministers of Minerals have re-elected Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, reaffirming calls for deeper continental cooperation to drive economic growth through solid minerals development.
Alake was returned unopposed at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the AMSG, which was held on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was first elected as the pioneer chairman of the continental body in 2024.
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group is a forum comprising African ministers responsible for minerals and mining. It was established to promote coordinated policies, value addition and beneficiation of Africa’s vast mineral resources, as well as to strengthen the continent’s bargaining power in the global minerals value chain.
The AGM provided an opportunity for member states to review progress made since the group’s inauguration and to adopt new measures aimed at strengthening its institutional framework.
As part of efforts to deepen institutional capacity, the ministers approved the creation of new leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary.
It was agreed that the positions would be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to ensure inclusiveness and balanced representation.
Under the newly approved structure, Alake will continue as Chairman representing West Africa, while the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Mines, Hon. Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman for Central Africa.
Uganda retained the position of Secretary-General, representing East Africa, Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General for North Africa, while South Africa will serve as Financial Secretary for Southern Africa.
The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for members of the executive committee.
In addition, the ministers agreed that zoned leadership positions would belong to member countries rather than individuals, meaning that any new minister from a member country would automatically assume the role if a predecessor leaves office.
This, participants said, would ensure continuity and stability within the group.
In his acceptance speech, Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence placed in him and emphasised the urgency for African countries to work together to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals.
He urged member states to agree on minimum financial contributions to strengthen the operations of the AMSG, noting that effective funding would enhance transparency and accountability.
“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” Alake said.
The ministers also resolved to hold quarterly meetings and establish standing committees to focus on key areas such as legal affairs, sustainability, responsible mining and finance.
They further agreed to begin steps towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar in scale and influence to the Future Minerals Forum.
Speaking earlier at a leadership roundtable themed ‘Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production’, Alake cautioned that mineral production alone would not transform African economies without adequate infrastructure, coordinated policies and deliberate value-addition strategies.
He said Africa must move beyond extraction to build systems that support industrialisation and long-term development.
The minister cited the Lobito Corridor as a successful example of regional infrastructure supporting mineral development and pointed to other viable corridors, such as the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, Walvis Bay Corridor, as well as the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors, as major opportunities for regional integration and industrial growth.
“The real issue is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether they are properly financed, governed and structured to support long-term development,” Alake said.
He stressed that Africa must design mineral infrastructure that attracts investment while promoting transparency, policy stability and shared prosperity across the continent.
According to him, only a coordinated continental approach would allow Africa to maximise the value of its mineral wealth and secure a stronger position in the global minerals economy.