Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji Calls for Enhanced Mineral Value Chains

At the Shanghai Metals Expo 2026 Roundtable, Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, Executive Director of Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa), stated that Africa must enhance its mineral ecosystem by expanding beneficiation, processing, and regional value chains. She argued that to gain relevance in global mineral pricing, Africa should shift from exporting unprocessed minerals to supplying products that meet higher industrial specifications.

Asokoro-Ogaji pointed out that international prices are influenced by various factors, including supply, demand, and quality. She stressed that having mineral resources does not equate to having pricing power and that mineral wealth alone does not ensure industrial prosperity.

To improve their bargaining position, African producers must focus on market intelligence, mineral testing, processing infrastructure, and trade finance. She illustrated this with an example of an African copper concentrate producer, noting that value realization depends on multiple factors beyond just international benchmarks.