By Daily Review Online< Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr. Oladele Alake, has called for a united African approach to harness greater value from the global mineral economy. Speaking at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Exhibition 2026, Alake said Africa occupies a strategic position in a new industrial era shaped by critical minerals, clean energy technologies, digital transformation, and advanced manufacturing. He observed that despite the continent’s vast reserves of lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite, gold, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, Africa continues to derive only a limited share of the economic value generated from these resources. According to the minister, the long-standing pattern of exporting raw materials while importing finished goods has hindered industrial growth, weakened economic resilience, and reduced job creation across the continent. Alake stressed that no single African country can fully exploit opportunities in the fast-evolving global minerals market alone, urging stronger regional collaboration. He called on African nations to harmonise mining policies, develop cross-border infrastructure, promote intra-African trade, and strengthen regional mineral value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “A fragmented Africa weakens our bargaining power. A united Africa strengthens our strategic relevance,” he said. The minister also highlighted the expansion of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, noting that the platform, established in January 2023 by 16 countries, has grown to 31 member states. He described AMSG as a continent-wide initiative aimed at building a unified African voice on mineral governance, value retention, and global supply chain positioning. Alake said the group is facilitating cooperation among member states to negotiate fairer agreements with international partners, harmonise regulatory frameworks, and develop shared infrastructure such as mineral corridors and processing hubs. He further emphasised the importance of value addition in the mining sector, noting that processing and manufacturing minerals within Africa would drive industrialisation, create jobs, and boost government revenues. The minister added that while the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains presents a historic opportunity for Africa, success would depend on improved governance, policy consistency, transparency, environmental responsibility, and an investor-friendly climate. He concluded that Africa’s mineral wealth should be leveraged not just for extraction but for long-term industrial development, economic sovereignty, and sustainable prosperity.