Africa’s mineral sector can achieve greater growth and sustainability if nations embrace collective action and innovation, according to Moses Engadu, Secretary General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), speaking at African Mining Week 2025.
In his keynote, Engadu outlined five critical imperatives for the continent’s mining expansion. He stressed the importance of collective mineral diplomacy, calling on African nations to negotiate mining contracts as a unified bloc. “Our potential is volatile if not managed well. By sharing infrastructure, policies, and vision, we can drive industrial transformation,” he said.
Engadu also urged strategic cooperation with international partners, emphasizing that investment should go beyond exploration capital to include support for value addition, ensuring that mining benefits extend deeper into local economies.
He highlighted accelerating mineral beneficiation as a priority, advocating for local processing and refining facilities to create jobs, retain wealth, increase tax revenue, and strengthen local expertise.
Digital innovation is another pillar, with Engadu promoting traceability and tokenization technologies to combat illegal mining and mismanagement. “Through the Madini tokenization initiative, every African mineral will have a secure digital twin, ensuring transparency in origin, value, and custody,” he said.
Engadu’s remarks come at a time when Africa seeks to strengthen its global position as a major supplier of strategic minerals while ensuring that benefits flow to local communities. By combining diplomacy, local value addition, and technology, the continent aims to transform its mineral wealth into long-term economic growth.
Source: Energy Capital & Power / APO Group
