African Ministers of Minerals Re-elect Alake as AMSG Chair

*Urges Africa to Unite, catalyse economic growth through solid minerals

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), a continental ministerial forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining committed to coordinated action aimed at maximising value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources.Alake was first unanimously elected as pioneer Chairman of AMSG in 2024 on the side-lines of Future Minerals Forum (FMF). He was re-elected at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the group, held on the side-lines of the same conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As part of efforts to strengthen its institutional framework, AMSG approved the creation of additional leadership positions, including Vice Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General, and Financial Secretary.The forum further resolved that those positions be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.

While the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other positions are appointed by member states to which they are zoned.Under the new leadership structure, Nigeria’s Alake continued as Chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa. The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Hon. Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice Chairman, representing Central Africa.

The position of Secretary-General remained with Uganda (East Africa), Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (North Africa), while South Africa was zoned the position of Financial Secretary.The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the newly elected executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that where a serving minister is replaced, the successor automatically assumes the role.In his acceptance speech, Alake expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the renewed confidence reposed in him, stressing the urgent need for African nations to work collaboratively to unlock the continent’s economic potentials through solid minerals development.

He called on member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and to refine the group’s budgeting framework to strengthen its 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,” Alake stated.The AGM further resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and ratified the establishment of standing committees, including those for Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources; Sustainability and Responsible Mining; Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation, among others.

It was also agreed that steps be taken towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to FMF.Speaking earlier at a Leadership Roundtable, Alake emphasised that mineral production alone could not deliver lasting economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies, and deliberate value-addition strategies.Themed, “Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production,” the roundtable, held outside FMF, was attended by African ministers of minerals, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders.

Alake cited the Lobito Corridor as a model of what was achievable when rail, ports, energy systems and policy alignment worked in synergy. He stated that similar opportunities existed across the continent, including the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire; Walvis Bay Corridor connecting Southern Africa’s mining regions to global markets; Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors serving East and Central Africa, among others.

According to the minister, “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.“What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives.”

Alake emphasised that unlocking capital required addressing issues, such as bankable and enforceable offtake arrangements; predictable and harmonised cross-border regulatory frameworks; alignment of rail, port, power and industrial planning; and clear pathways for processing, smelting, logistics services and industrial clusters along the corridors.He added that the broader vision of AMSG was to ensure that Africa’s mineral infrastructure was strategically designed, responsibly financed, and efficiently managed in a rapidly evolving global environment, not to discourage investment, but to ensure it aligned with long-term stability, transparency, and shared economic prosperity.