The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining. The re-election was confirmed in a statement issued by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori. The group aims to maximize value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s mineral resources through coordinated action.
Dr Alake was first elected as the pioneer chairman of the AMSG in 2024 and retained the position at the group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As part of institutional reforms, the AGM approved the creation of additional leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General, and Financial Secretary, to promote inclusion and regional balance.
The new structure sees Dr Alake continuing as Chairman, representing West Africa, while the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman for Central Africa. Other positions were appointed by member states to which they are zoned, with Uganda retaining the position of Secretary-General for East Africa, Mauritania appointed Deputy Secretary-General for North Africa, and South Africa holding the position of Financial Secretary.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and called on African nations to deepen collaboration to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals development. He emphasized the need for member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and strengthen the group’s budgeting framework to improve operational efficiency.
The AGM also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and established standing committees, including Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources; Sustainability and Responsible Mining; and Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation. Members agreed on steps towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to the Future Minerals Forum.
Dr Alake stressed that mineral production alone cannot deliver lasting economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies, and deliberate value-addition strategies. He cited successful models such as the Lobito Corridor in Angola and highlighted other opportunities, including the Lagosā€“Abidjan Corridor, the Walvis Bay Corridor, and the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors.
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group, formed in 2024, serves as a platform for policy coordination, knowledge sharing, and joint action among African states to strengthen the mining sector. The group brings together ministers from across the continent to harmonize strategies for industrial development, regional integration, and infrastructure investment, as Africa seeks to move beyond raw mineral exports to higher-value processed products.
