Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake has been re-elected chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).
His re-election took place at the group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Minister Alake was first elected chairman in 2024 when African ministers agreed to pursue coordinated action on value addition and beneficiation of the continent’s mineral resources.
The forum also resolved that leadership roles should be distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.
Under the new structure, the positions of chairman and vice-chairman remain elective and restricted to serving ministers, while other offices are to be filled by member states within designated zones.
Alake continues as chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa.
The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected vice-chairman, representing Central Africa.
Uganda retains the position of secretary-general, Mauritania was appointed deputy secretary-general, while South Africa was assigned the role of financial secretary.
The AGM ratified a two-year tenure for the executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, with successors automatically assuming office when a serving minister is replaced.
Speaking after his re-election, Alake thanked member states for the confidence reposed in him and called for collaboration among African countries to unlock economic opportunities through solid minerals development.
He urged members to agree on minimum financial contributions and improve the group’s budgeting framework to strengthen operations.
“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” he said.
The meeting also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial sessions and approved the creation of standing committees, including Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources, Sustainability and Responsible Mining and Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation.
Members further agreed to explore the hosting of a global minerals conference in Africa.
Earlier, at a leadership roundtable held during the forum, Alake said mineral production alone cannot drive economic transformation without infrastructure, coordinated policies and value-addition strategies.
He cited the Lobito Corridor as an example of integrated rail, port, energy and policy planning, and identified other corridors such as Lagos–Abidjan, Walvis Bay, Dar es Salaam and Central Africa routes.
Dele Alake said financing frameworks must reduce risk, attract private capital and support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term development.
He added that the AMSG’s objective is to ensure Africa’s mineral infrastructure is planned, financed and managed in line with stability, transparency and shared economic interests.
