CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 7, 2025 – The Africa Minerals Strategy Group roundtable took center stage during African Mining Week 2025, bringing together high-level government representatives from across the continent to advance discussions on exploration, beneficiation, and resource governance.
Hosted by the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), the ministerial roundtable featured participation from officials representing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Egypt, and The Gambia, with a shared focus on unlocking opportunities in Africa’s rapidly evolving mining landscape.
According to H.E. Moses Michael Engadu, Secretary-General of AMSG, the meeting was not a symbolic exercise but a call to action.
“This is not a symbolic meeting, but rather an opportunity to address real challenges. As a continent, some countries are progressing while others are being left behind when it comes to beneficiation,” he stated.
Africa Minerals Strategy Group Roundtable: Driving Africa’s Resource Autonomy
During the Africa Minerals Strategy Group roundtable, Engadu emphasized the urgent need for structural reforms in African mining diplomacy, greater regional financing, and digital sovereignty.
He also called for stronger coordination through sovereign wealth funds, national mining companies, and pension funds to close the financing gap in the continent’s mineral development.
“We must establish a continental critical minerals strategy,” Engadu stressed. “While other regions have built comprehensive frameworks, Africa still lacks one.
A continental strategy would help us protect and promote our interests and ensure African countries benefit equitably from their natural wealth.”
He further underlined the importance of technological collaboration and data-sharing between African states to improve geological mapping, attract new exploration investment, and create resilient mining ecosystems that advance sustainable industrialization.
Collaborative Efforts Across African Mining Ministries
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group roundtable also served as a platform for African mining leaders to share strategies for increasing value addition and capacity building.
Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority, reiterated Egypt’s commitment to working with fellow African nations to expand local beneficiation and support human capital development.
“Egypt is ready to collaborate in developing a unified value addition strategy and to empower our youth through mining education and technical training,” he said.
Louis Watum Kabamba, Minister of Mines for the Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighted new investment partnerships, digital exploration tools, and policies to promote greenfield projects.
“Our priority is to establish policies that attract exploration funding and support local geologists. No one knows a country’s geology better than its own people,” he emphasized.
Kabamba also noted that collaboration between governments and chambers of mines remains essential for improving governance standards and sharing best practices across borders.
Nigeria and The Gambia Support United Mineral Policies
Representing Nigeria, Eng. Yusuf Farouk Yabo, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, underscored the need for African nations to map their mineral resources and enforce regulatory compliance.
“After national mapping, it is the duty of countries to ensure only licensed operators are mining.
We must also build adequate capacity for effective supervision,” Yabo stated.
He also urged African governments to adopt collective policies against the export of raw, unprocessed minerals, encouraging in-continent processing to create jobs and drive industrialization.
Echoing his remarks, Lamin Camara, Permanent Secretary at The Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, said his country looks to Nigeria and other partners for technical guidance.
“We have Nigeria’s geological survey to guide us in mapping our resources. We want to learn from them and adapt their practices,” Camara affirmed.
Building Africa’s Future Through the Africa Minerals Strategy Group Roundtable
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group roundtable concluded with a unified commitment to advancing African-led exploration, promoting local content, and developing value chains that retain more of the continent’s mineral wealth.
Delegates agreed to strengthen partnerships between governments, investors, and technical experts to ensure Africa transitions from a raw material exporter to a global center for refined mineral production.
African Mining Week 2025 once again underscored the AMSG’s pivotal role in promoting dialogue and policy alignment across the mining sector.
By fostering strategic collaboration and unified approaches, the group aims to position Africa as a global leader in the sustainable and equitable development of its mineral resources.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
About African Mining Week
Organized by Energy Capital & Power, African Mining Week is a premier platform for exploring Africa’s mining and mineral beneficiation potential. The 2025 edition, held alongside African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies, convened top industry stakeholders, investors, and policymakers from October 1–3 in Cape Town, South Africa.
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SOURCE: Energy Capital & Power
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