President Bola Tinubu has called for a total rephase in the global financial architecture of Africa’s mineral resources, emphasizing the need for African nations to finance their mineral sector and assert their influence in global supply chains.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Tinubu urged African leaders to end the “ignoble cycle” of importing finished goods by accelerating government-led mineral exploration and building industries on African soil.
Tinubu outlined four imperatives to unlock Africa’s mineral economic future: climbing the value chain, mapping and standardizing Africa’s data, accelerating government-led mineral exploration, and financing Africa’s future through sovereign funds and innovative tools.
He commended countries like Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Ghana for enforcing bans on raw mineral exports to promote domestic beneficiation.
The President emphasized the need for collective action and leadership, calling on development allies and partners to join Africa in rewriting the story of its mineral economy.
He pledged Nigeria’s commitment to catalyzing a mineral-led renaissance under the Renewed Hope Agenda and urged African leaders to take decisive action to safeguard their sovereignty and assert their influence in the global economy.