The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has secured a fresh mandate as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), a pan-African platform bringing together ministers in charge of minerals and mining to drive coordinated strategies for value addition and beneficiation of the continent’s mineral wealth.
Confirmation of his re-election was contained in a statement released on Sunday, the 18th of January, 2026, by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori.
According to the statement, “The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been re-elected Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, a continental ministerial forum of African ministers responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action aimed at maximising value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources.”
Dr Alake was initially elected in 2024 as the pioneer chairman of the group during the Future Minerals Forum. He retained the position at the AMSG’s 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At the AGM, members approved key institutional reforms, including the establishment of new leadership roles such as Vice-Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General and Financial Secretary. These positions were distributed among Africa’s sub-regions to enhance inclusiveness and regional balance.
Under the revised structure, the offices of Chairman and Vice-Chairman remain elective and are reserved for serving ministers, while other positions are filled through nominations by member states within their respective zones.
Following the reforms, Alake continues as Chairman representing West Africa. The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, emerged as Vice-Chairman for Central Africa. Uganda retained the Secretary-General position for East Africa, Mauritania was named Deputy Secretary-General for North Africa, while South Africa assumed the role of Financial Secretary.
The AGM also endorsed a two-year tenure for the executive committee and agreed that zoned offices belong to member countries, meaning that successors automatically inherit such positions whenever there is a change in ministers.
In his acceptance remarks, Alake expressed appreciation to his colleagues for renewing their trust in his leadership and urged African countries to intensify cooperation in harnessing the continent’s solid minerals sector for economic growth.
He called on member states to commit to minimum financial contributions and to strengthen the group’s budgeting system to enhance efficiency and credibility.
According to him, “Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community.”
The meeting further resolved to convene quarterly ministerial sessions and approved the creation of standing committees covering Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources; Sustainability and Responsible Mining; as well as Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation. Members also agreed to pursue plans for hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, modeled after the Future Minerals Forum.
Earlier, at a leadership roundtable titled ‘Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production’, Alake emphasised that mineral extraction alone is insufficient to drive sustainable economic transformation without strong infrastructure, harmonised policies and deliberate value-addition frameworks.
He noted, “The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability. What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives.”
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Alake referenced successful initiatives such as the Lobito Corridor in Angola and identified other strategic opportunities including the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, the Walvis Bay Corridor, as well as the Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors. He stressed the importance of integrated rail, port, power and industrial planning in unlocking large-scale investment.
He also highlighted the role of offtake agreements, harmonised regulations and clearly defined industrial clusters in attracting sustained investment along Africa’s mineral corridors.
According to him, “The broader vision of the AMSG is to ensure that Africa’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed and efficiently managed in a rapidly evolving global environment, not to discourage investment, but to ensure it aligns with long-term stability, transparency and shared economic prosperity.”
Established in 2024, the Africa Minerals Strategy Group serves as a coordinating platform for African nations to align policies, exchange knowledge and undertake joint actions aimed at strengthening the mining sector.
The group brings together ministers from across the continent to harmonise approaches to industrialisation, regional integration and infrastructure development, as Africa works to transition from exporting raw minerals to producing higher-value processed products.