Moses Engadu, Secretary-General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), highlighted the urgent need for structural reforms focused on diplomacy, enhanced African capital mobilisation, and the protection of digital sovereignty.

He emphasised the critical roles of sovereign wealth funds, national mining companies, and pension funds in addressing Africa’s financing challenges.

Engadu advocated for a continent-wide critical minerals strategy, pointing out that while other regions have established frameworks, Africa is yet to develop one.

He stressed that such a strategy would be vital for safeguarding and promoting African interests during a high-level ministerial roundtable hosted by AMSG, which gathered representatives from various African mining ministries.

The roundtable aimed to explore best practices for unlocking opportunities across African markets through improved exploration, production, and value addition.

Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority, expressed Egypt’s willingness to collaborate on a value addition strategy while promoting youth empowerment and local participation in the mining sector.

Louis Watum Kabamba, Minister of Mines for the DRC, underscored the need for new investment partnerships and digital tools to enhance mineral exploration, asserting that local geologists possess the best knowledge of their country’s geology.

He called for cooperation between governments and mining chambers to improve governance and share best practices.

Supporting this, Yusuf Farouk Yabo, Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, stressed the importance of mapping mineral resources to understand deposit locations and advocated for policies that ensure only licensed operators engage in mining.