On 16th July 2024, His Excellency Moses Micheal Engadu, Secretary-General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), delivered a powerful opening address at the 3rd African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) Ministerial Roundtable in Abuja, Nigeria. The event, which took place at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, brought together key African leaders and stakeholders to discuss the vital role of Africa’s natural resources in driving socio-economic transformation, economic freedom, and sustainable development across the continent.
Africa’s Path to Economic Freedom
In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Engadu emphasized the need for sustainable development of Africa’s natural resources to spur socio-economic transformation and to achieve economic freedom for the continent. He described the Africa Minerals Strategy Group as a strategic vehicle established to reclaim Africa’s development from the grip of exploitation and to promote economic dignity for African nations.
“The Africa Minerals Strategy Group was born out of necessity, to snatch development from the jaws of exploitation; born to reclaim respect and human dignity from the underdevelopment that mineral exploitation is inflicting on the Human and Environmental Geography of our continent,” said H.E. Engadu.
He reiterated the AMSG’s primary purpose: to foster international cooperation within the minerals and mining sector, encouraging African nations to leverage their vast natural resources for economic prosperity and socio-economic transformation.
The Ministerial Roundtable: An Action-Oriented Dialogue
The Ministerial Roundtable, hosted by AMSG in partnership with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development of Nigeria and Core International, served as a platform for African solidarity and unity. The goal was to advance a common African voice on how to maximize the benefits from Africa’s rich natural resources.
Secretary-General Engadu called the roundtable an interactive discussion, inviting participants to actively contribute to the dialogue. He highlighted the importance of moving from talk to action and emphasized that the roundtable would produce a summary report outlining recommendations and commitments for achieving sustainable development of Africa’s natural resources.
“We shall have an interactive discussion, and I invite you all to actively contribute to this very important action-oriented dialogue. The outcome of this meeting will be a summary report on the key points raised, recommendations, and commitments made towards achieving the sustainable development of Africa’s natural resources,” said H.E. Engadu.
Key Questions Guiding the Roundtable Discussions
The Ministerial Roundtable was structured around four key guiding questions, aimed at shaping the future of Africa’s natural resources:
- How can Africa’s natural resources fuel economic prosperity, empower marginalized communities, and break the cycle of debt and aid dependency, while funding the energy transition and ushering in a greener Africa?
- How do we achieve local beneficiation of African critical minerals to power the global energy transition and Africa’s prosperity?
- How can African governments and the private sector collaborate to address key enablers for local beneficiation, including access to finance, policy alignment, infrastructure development, transparent supply chains, capacity building, and reducing carbon emissions through new technologies?
- How do we move from “Talk to Action” with clear commitments?
Key Insights from African Leaders
Honourable Dr. Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development of Nigeria and AMSG Chairperson, urged African nations to take control of their mineral resources and leverage the global shift towards green energy to maximize the benefits derived from Africa’s natural resources. He emphasized the importance of local content policies and indigenous representation in mining operations to ensure sustainable development.
“We have a policy in Nigeria that we refrain from granting licenses to foreigners wholly; there must be a Nigerian partner. This is a policy other African countries should adopt,” said Dr. Alake, stressing the need for intra-Africa trade and the active collaboration of the private sector across the continent.
Honourable Monica Chang’anamuno, Minister of Mining of Malawi, called for infrastructure development to support mineral resource extraction and advocated for collaboration based on comparative advantages among African nations.
Honourable Oumar Djime Moussa, Deputy Minister of Petroleum, Mines, and Geology of Chad, proposed the creation of an African fund for exploration, as well as the development of continental expertise in the mining value chain, and the establishment of centers of excellence for innovation and clean technologies.
Other key speakers emphasized the importance of commitment to agreements and collaboration to unlock the full potential of Africa’s natural resources for shared prosperity.
AMSG’s Action Plan and New Initiatives
In line with the group’s commitment to transforming Africa’s mineral sector, Secretary-General Engadu unveiled new initiatives that will drive Africa’s socio-economic development:
- “Africans for Africa” Initiative: This campaign aims to mobilize Africans and people of African descent to actively participate in the economic development of the continent.
- Africa Minerals Development Fund (AMDF): Modeled after Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Fund, this new fund will support local miners across the continent, helping them access the necessary funding to scale their operations.
“This fund, inspired by Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), will be championed by Nigeria and structured to assist local miners across the continent,” said H.E. Engadu.
Representatives from Across Africa
The Ministerial Roundtable attracted high-level representation from various African nations, including Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Liberia, and Chad. In attendance were notable government officials such as:
- Shuaib Abubakar Audu, Minister of Steel Development of Nigeria
- Uba Maigari, Minister of State, Nigeria
- Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, Nigeria
- Private sector leaders from across the continent were also present to offer their insights on how to facilitate private-public partnerships to advance Africa’s mineral potential.
Moving Towards a Sustainable Future
The Ministerial Roundtable was a critical step towards achieving Africa’s mineral prosperity while ensuring the sustainable management of its resources. With the collaborative efforts of African governments, private sector partners, and international stakeholders, the AMSG is positioned to lead the charge in shaping Africa’s mineral future—one rooted in sustainable development, economic freedom, and shared prosperity for all Africans.
As the dialogue continues, the AMSG remains committed to fostering unity and cooperation among African nations to unlock the full potential of Africa’s natural resources and empower its people for generations to come.
