By Martha Agas

African mining ministers and chief executive officers of mining companies have committed to expanding mineral testing infrastructure across the region.

They also proposed the establishment of joint industrial corridors and shared processing facilities within the region.

The group made this resolution in a communiqué issued at the end of the fourth edition of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) held on July 15 to 17, with the theme `Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development`.

The communiqué, made available to newsmen by Mrs Kania Andeyaba, Head of the Press and Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, on Tuesday in Abuja, indicated that the group supports adapting Nigeria’s local content model across Africa and backs the creation of a pan-African financing mechanism to support mineral beneficiation.

They also committed to operationalising the working groups of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) established by African mining ministers in 2024 with a clear roadmap.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AMSG was established on the sidelines of the third Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh to promote international cooperation in sustainable critical minerals development by African governments.

The communique stated that participants of the summit resolved to prioritise local content and value addition with emphasis on the need to build robust local value chains, particularly processing minerals on African soil.

“AFNIS 2025 served as a vital platform for African nations and the private sector to reinforce their commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and value-driven development of their natural resources and energy sectors.

“This is to ensure that the continent’s immense wealth benefits its people, “ it stated.

Participants resolved to mobilise resources within Africa to invest in lucrative projects across the continent, fostering African ownership and parity with foreign exploration companies through the unveiling of the ‘Africans for Africa’ fund at the summit.

“A significant focus was placed on mobilizing domestic capital for African development. The “Africans for Africa” initiative was launched during AFNIS 2024, and in 2025, the fund was officially unveiled, “it stated.

It also resolved to further explore strategies for utilising local resources, including renewables, minerals, and human capital, to drive sustainable growth in the green economy.

This is in addition to discussions at the summit, which covered accelerating renewable energy adoption, closing the energy access gap, and fostering innovative partnerships and investments across the renewable energy value chain.

The summit also acknowledged the transformative power of technology and data in resource exploration and management.

NAN reports that discussions at the summit included transforming the region’s energy sector, the importance of regional energy integration projects, and the establishment of transparent electricity trading marketplaces.

The discussions also underscored the challenge of managing mining alongside agriculture, emphasising the importance of responsible exploration, effective reclamation plans, integrated policies, and community involvement to ensure sustainable land use and prevent conflicts.

The summit highlighted the significance of harnessing diplomacy for economic development and fostering strong international partnerships.

I came across a hogwash of an opinion article penned by a suspected fictitious character named Biliyaminur Surajo titled, “Mining Cadastre Office, A Threat to National Security” published on Sahara Reporters and other online media which by all intents and purposes was crafted to not only diminish the great job the Mining Cadastral office (MCO) is doing but also to cast aspersion on the foremost cadastral agency and bring it to disrepute. As a mining stakeholder for over 15 years, I am an insider conversant with the inner workings of MCO and I’ve been following with keen interest ongoing reforms by the present administration to reform and reposition the mining sector. It therefore beggars’ belief that any sane individual can seek to denigrate such efforts with patently outlandish claims as encapsulated in the jaundiced article.

The writer claims that the MCO “has become synonymous with corruption, bribery, and
unprofessionalism” without any shred of evidence but rather put together a contraption of
conjectures and false narratives to justify his warped conclusion. Reading through the piece, I
saw a desperate attempt by the writer to allude to outrightly preposterous postulations by
“faceless industry stakeholders”, more like an attempt to “give a dog a bad name, in order to
hang it”.

He cited a crisis of overlapping titles, alleging that “for a fee, fake community consent documents can be obtained through MCO channels”. This is not only far from the truth, but a blatant lie.
With my vast knowledge of the mining sector, I can assert that the allegations are totally baseless and unfounded because MCO does not get involved in obtaining land owner/occupier consent which is the responsibility of the applicant after the successful submission of application, and the receipt of their priority number.

If Mr. Surajo knows those purportedly claiming to be MCO agents or officers carrying out such
nefarious activities, he should bring them forward or submit details of such unscrupulous
individuals to the security agencies for necessary action. The onus of proof falls on those who
alleges. One would have expected some “naming and shaming” at the least, but carrying out a
hatchet job hinged on falsehoods can be such an arduous task.

Claiming that public complaints on overlapping titles fell on “deaf ears” is also disingenuous to
anyone conversant with happenings in the sector. While it a known fact that during the process
of migrating the cadastral system from computerized to the online Electronic Mining Cadastre plus (eMC+), some of the valid titles couldn’t be moved due to some systemic issues, several efforts have been made to correct the anomaly. I am aware that the rectification took some time which might be responsible for instances of overlapping titles that were hitherto seen on the eMC+ platform.
During that period of glitch, it was reported that applicants saw free mining areas on the platform
which already has valid owners before the migration and these caused the few incidences of overlapping titles.

From my investigations, it was gathered that a standing committee has since been at work resolving the issues amicably and it is pertinent that those that are facing similar challenges reach out to the agency. I have it on good authority that the cases that have been
brought to the attention of the agency have been resolved till date. It is also pertinent to note
that the MCO has never lost a single case in court which implies that the agency is guided at all times by extant provisions of the law and the statutes guiding the operations of the agency.

The fictitious writer also erroneously alleged that” beyond official fees, industry sources report a pervasive culture of additional payments to individual MCO officers”. From my experience over the years, this is likely a case of itinerant fake consultants posturing as MCO staff. An instance revealed by the grapevine is a case of a suspect presently cooling his heels in the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Garki, Abuja for impersonating the Special Technical Assistant (STA) to the DG, Madaki Joseph. The suspect, one Shehu Bokane, operating from his base in Niger State has allegedly duped his victims of several millions of Naira, and this is verifiable. This is just one instance and there could be many more at large. What anyone privy to such malfeasance should do is to report the culprits to the authorities instead of tarring an entire agency with the brush of corruption based on false premise or spurious allegations.

Not done trying to justify his fables, the writer described that Mineral Sector Support for
Economic Diversification Project (MINDIVER), funded by the World Bank designed to prevent
duplication of titles as a failure. While the eMC+ system faced initial hitches, the system has
largely digitized the application processes as all mineral title applications are now submitted
exclusively through the system. Like the DG MCO, Engr. Obadiah Nkom said at some fora, “It’s an
entirely online platform that offers transparency, efficiency, and real-time access.” Feedback
from industry stakeholders back this assertion.

From an informed perspective, the initial glitches that affected the migration of the cadastral
system to the eMC+ platform might have been averted if the MCO technical staff had some input in the building of the electronic system. That was not the case as I learnt the agency only made inputs and modifications after the system funded by MINDIVER, was delivered.

I was privileged to attend the recently held African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) in Abuja, graced by some African ministers of mining and energy amongst other global and continental mining players. The robust engagements I saw, the Ministerial roundtable convened by the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) and chaired by the Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dr. Dele Alake is a sharp contrast to the picture of purported “wasted foreign trips to mining conferences” painted by the writer. It was also recently widely reported that some Nigerian mining professionals went on a capacity building training to Murdoch University in Australia. If that doesn’t represent fruits of Nigeria’s proactive engagement with the global mining community, I wonder what it is.

While there might be need for improvement in some areas like any other human endeavor, it
smacks of utter mischief for the writer to paint a gloomy picture of the operations of MCO and
by extension the mining sector. For the first time, in our nation’s recent history, the mining sector
is experiencing a resurgence on account of the renewed focus of the Tinubu administration in
developing solid minerals alongside the tenacious passion of Minister Alake in carrying on with reforms.

It is quite ludicrous that the writer will attempt to describe an agency that is renowned across
the African continent as leading a very efficient cadastral system as a threat to national security.
Unlike the bogus conclusion of the imaginary stakeholder, “the future of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector—and potentially the nation’s economic diversification” is bright and on course. No hatchet job or sponsored machinations of those frustrated by laudable efforts to reposition the mining sector must be allowed to stand or mislead the public. All Nigerians and responsible stakeholders should join hands with government to take our mining industry to greater heights.

Engr. Tafa Bakori, a mining stakeholder, writes from Niger State.

By Martha Agas

African ministers have lauded the establishment of a lithium processing plant by Asba and Wisdom International Group, in the Wasa District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The ministers gave the commendation during an official tour of the plant on Wednesday, as part of activities marking the 2025 African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS).

Speaking on their behalf, Hassan Joho, Kenya’s Minister for Mining, Blue Economy, Shipping, and Maritime Affairs, described the plant as a proof of Nigeria’s determination to put its mineral value chain plans into concrete action.

Joho noted that Africa has been pushing for value addition to its minerals to maximise the benefits from its resources, especially since it possesses the critical minerals needed for the energy transition.

“ It gives me a lot of pride that i have been able to visit a site that does exactly as the conversation in the continent today, in creating an ecosystem that is supportive of our extractions.

“So the most critical conversation is that there is a shift from exporting our raw ore into some processed products, “ he said.

He described the inspection of the site as an evidence that value addition can be done through the establishment of processing companies.

According to him, Africa’s minerals value chain discussions are creating an ecosystem that shifts focus from raw ore exports to local processing.

He added that the ministers were in Abuja to discuss how Africa can work together to develop the continent, emphasising that no one else will do it for them.

“And we must be able to lead from the front.

“We must create wealth that remains here where the extraction happens.

According to him, Africa governments are determined to support policies that facilitates its development.

“We (Africa governments) shall create support infrastructure, support systems, support frameworks, support legislation, so that wealth remains in the continent.

“ So, Nigeria is doing a great job and I am happy that I took time to visit, “ he said.

He said Kenya was on the same trajectory and, while still at an early stage, has vast deposits.

He added that they had finished their aerial geophysical survey and now know the locations of these resources.

Earlier, Olajide Odesola, Deputy Director of Investment, Promotion and Mineral Trade Department of the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Development said that one of the key priorities of President Bola Tinubu was to bring investment to Nigeria.

Odesola said the tour was designed to provide the  minsters with a first-hand experience of how Nigeria has attracted investors in recent times through its reform policies.

“This is like a practical company for them to see, not what they read on the papers,” he said.

According to him, the government has put in place structures for the smooth the take-off and growth of businesses.

He rated the local content of the lithium company at 80 per cent, explaining that Nigerians manage the plants entirely, with foreign expertise brought in solely for technical operations.

In his remarks, the President of  Absa group, Adamu Husaini, said that the plant has more than 512 cadastral units, with no fewer than 40 tunnels.

Hussaini said that the company was formerly exporting its raw materials to China, but with the value addition policy of the Federal Government, it has transitioned to processing lithium to Electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

He said that the company whose ground breaking ceremony was held in 2024,  would soon commence full operations and subsequent export of its products.

By Martha Agas

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has said that Africa must rewrite its history powered by its minerals for its local development.

Alake, also the chairman, of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) said this at the opening of the fourth edition of the Africans Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The summit holding from between Wednesday and Friday is themed ”Harnessing Local Content for Sustainable Development”.

He said that the summit was not just for exchanging ideas but to explore opportunities where Africa can benefit from sustained wealth.

According to him, we seek to build a future where Africa’s natural wealth is no longer a statistic in someone else’s report.

”We aspire to a continent where its natural wealth serves as a driving force for industrial growth, equity, and sustainable development.

”In line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063, this gathering marks a decisive step towards a development model anchored on our priorities.”

The minister noted that Africa natural resources held immense potential for meeting sustainable development goals, but must adopt policies such as value addition of its minerals to achieve the feat.

”Local content requires Africa to shift away from exporting raw materials and instead build factories, refine minerals, generate power locally, and create jobs.

”We should be building green industrial zones where gas becomes fertiliser, limestone becomes cement, and lithium becomes battery storage.

”The Dangote industrial complexes in Nigeria already demonstrated what is possible when we prioritise local content and integrate value chains. Let us establish more of such investments across Africa, not just in one city or country, but in every region,” he said.

Alake emphasised that for Africa to achieve sustainable development, it must rely on its own capital and ownership, hence Nigeria’s establishment of the Solid Minerals Development Fund

According to him, the fund will support small-scale miners, build critical infrastructure, and mitigate investment risk in exploration and processing.

He added that one of the major highlights of 2025 AFNIS would be the formal unveiling of the `Africans for Africa` Fund, a bold initiative designed to mobilise African capital for African priorities.

”The launch of the Africans for Africa Fund under AFNIS further reinforces this agenda. We want to see our pension funds, banks, and sovereign funds investing in our extractive future.

”When Africans own the value chain, the benefits multiply. Let this summit be the place where bold commitments are made, and where value addition becomes a shared continental goal,” he further said.

Earlier in his remarks, Hassan Joho, Kenya’s Minister for Mining, Blue Economy, Shipping and Maritime Affairs, said that Africa must take decisive steps to add value to its minerals.

Joho said this would be achieved by engaging in meaningful conversations about Africa’s future using the summit’s platform, adding that Kenya remained committed to implementing value chain extraction.

Similarly, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu said that as global trends shift toward decentralisation, digitisation, and decarbonisation, Nigeria was working to ensure that local content was beyond a policy slogan.

Adelabu added that the Federal Government was determined to ensure that local content becomes a measurable lever for economic growth, industrial capacity, and energy security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ministers of mining from Rwanda, Liberia, Kenya and international delegates from Germany, Australia and UK among others also presented good will messages.