African Minerals Ministers Re-elect Alake as Strategy Group Chair, Push Continental Unity for Growth

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia/

African Ministers responsible for minerals and mining have re-elected Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), a 24-member continental forum driving coordinated action to maximise value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources.

Alake, who was first unanimously elected as the pioneer chairman in 2024, secured a renewed mandate at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AMSG held on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh.

In a move aimed at strengthening the group’s institutional structure and promoting regional balance, the AGM approved the creation of additional leadership positions including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary, with the roles zoned across Africa’s sub-regions.

Under the newly adopted structure, Alake continues as Chairman representing West Africa, while the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Hon. Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman representing Central Africa. The Secretary-General position remains with Uganda (East Africa), Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (North Africa), while South Africa was zoned Financial Secretary.

The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the new executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, meaning that where a serving minister is replaced, the successor automatically assumes the role.

In his acceptance speech, Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and urged African countries to work together to unlock economic prosperity through solid minerals development.

He called on member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and refine the forum’s budgeting framework to boost operational effectiveness.

“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” he said.

To deepen coordination and implementation, the AMSG resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and ratified the establishment of standing committees, including Legal, Institutional Affairs & Human Resources, Sustainability and Responsible Mining, and Finance, Budget & Resource Mobilisation, among others.

The forum also agreed to take steps toward hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to the Future Minerals Forum.

Speaking earlier at a leadership roundtable themed “Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production,” Alake stressed that mineral production alone cannot deliver lasting transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies, and deliberate value-addition strategies.
He cited the Lobito Corridor as a model for integrated development through synergy between rail, ports, energy systems and policy alignment, adding that similar opportunities exist across Africa, including the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, Walvis Bay Corridor, and the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors.

“The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability,” the minister said.
He listed critical steps for unlocking large-scale capital, including bankable offtake arrangements, predictable cross-border regulations, alignment of rail, port, power and industrial planning, and clear pathways for processing, smelting, logistics and industrial clusters along mineral corridors.

According to Alake, the AMSG’s broader goal is to ensure Africa’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed and efficiently managed, while aligning investment flows with long-term stability, transparency and shared prosperity.