By Peace Erewunmi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called on African countries to stop exporting raw minerals and instead prioritise local processing and value addition to maximise the continent’s economic potential.

Speaking at the Ministerial Forum on Critical Minerals, Value Chain and Beneficiation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Alake said Africa can only achieve true economic transformation by processing its mineral resources locally rather than exporting them in their raw form. He noted that value addition would create jobs, boost industrialisation and increase government revenue across the continent.

Alake, who chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), urged African nations to strengthen regional cooperation by harmonising mining policies, developing shared processing facilities and improving cross-border infrastructure. He proposed the establishment of regional mineral processing hubs to enable countries to benefit collectively from their natural resources.

The minister also advocated the adoption of the Pan-African Resource Reporting Code (PARC) to replace reliance on foreign mineral reporting standards. According to him, Africa should take greater control of how its mineral assets are evaluated and reported in order to safeguard the continent’s economic interests.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration, which outlines a roadmap for financing mineral development, promoting local value chains and strengthening mineral governance across Africa. The African Development Bank (AfDB) also pledged support for projects that encourage local processing and attract private investment into the continent’s mining sector.