African Leaders Push for Local Mineral Processing at AFNIS

At the 5th African Natural Resource and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) held in Abuja, African leaders urged a shift away from the traditional economic model of exporting raw minerals. Hauwa Gidado, the Minister of State, addressed government officials, investors, and industry leaders, advocating for local processing and manufacturing of mineral products to create jobs and attract investment.

Minister Gidado credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's economic reforms for supporting the mining sector, noting Nigeria's ongoing major investments in mineral processing, including an $800 million project and a $600 million lithium battery manufacturing investment in Nasarawa State. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, warned that the global economy increasingly shapes nations based on their control of critical minerals.

The summit emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and harmonized policies to unlock Africa's energy and mineral potential, with calls for stronger infrastructure and investor confidence to drive economic transformation.