African Minerals Ministers Re-elect Nigeria’s Alake as AMSG Chairman
African Ministers responsible for minerals and mining have re-elected Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), reaffirming his leadership of the continental body focused on value addition and beneficiation of Africa’s mineral resources.
Dr. Alake was re-elected at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AMSG, held on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was first unanimously elected pioneer chairman of the forum in 2024.
The AMSG, a 24-member ministerial platform, also approved a strengthened institutional framework with the creation of new leadership positions, including Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary, to enhance efficiency and regional balance. These positions were equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions.
Under the new structure, Dr. Alake continues as Chairman, representing West Africa, while the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Hon. Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman for Central Africa. Uganda retains the position of Secretary-General for East Africa, Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General for North Africa, and South Africa was zoned the position of Financial Secretary.
The AGM ratified a two-year tenure for the new executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that any change in a country’s minister automatically transfers the role to the successor.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and urged African countries to work collectively to unlock economic growth through solid minerals development. He stressed the importance of agreed financial contributions and a refined budgeting framework to strengthen the group’s operations.
“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” he said.
The meeting also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings, establish standing committees—covering areas such as legal affairs, sustainability, responsible mining, finance and resource mobilisation—and begin steps toward hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to the FMF.
Earlier, at a Leadership Roundtable on “Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production”, Dr. Alake highlighted the need for reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies and deliberate value-addition strategies to drive sustainable mineral-led growth. He cited regional infrastructure corridors such as the Lobito Corridor, Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, Walvis Bay Corridor, and Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors as critical enablers of industrialisation and regional integration.
According to him, Africa’s challenge is not the absence of corridors, but ensuring they are properly financed, governed and structured to support long-term industrial growth, attract private capital and deliver shared prosperity.
The AMSG, he added, remains committed to ensuring Africa’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed and efficiently managed in line with global best practices and the continent’s long-term development goals.
