The Honourable Minister of Solid Minarals Development, Dr Dele Alake, on Thursday insisted that Africa countries must rise to the occasion and stop exportation of prosperity and importation of poverty.
In essence, he said, African countries should stop minarals in raw materials form which find its way back to Africa in expensive finished products.
Dr. Alake also witnessed strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing between Africans for Africa (AFA) Initiative and Steron Mining Company Limited towards accelerating the development of lithium and rare earth mineral in Nigeria
He charged African countries not to be discouraged by challenges, but that they should face the challenges as they will be reinvigorated towards achieving their goals.
The Minister made the remarks while declaring the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026, with the theme “One Africa, One Resource Vision.” close at the State House Conference Centre
He said “The direction is really very clear. There is no argument about where we are headed, of course. There’s still some views about the modalities, the methodology of achieving these objectives, but there’s one thing that we cannot shy away from, and that there is no divergent of interest, and there is actually a convergent of interests in Africa, and are conterminous.
“We want to stop the exportation of prosperity and the importation of poverty. Like I said yesterday, that is the panel of all our discussions, all other ideas, the technicalities expounded, and the various theories propounded are all geared towards achieving this singular objective of advancing the course of solid minerals, and ensuring the efficiency of exploration, the efficacy of extraction, and of course the judicious utilization of the accruing resources and revenues flowing in from this sector for the benefit of our various peoples of Africa, and for future generations, and I always say that every epoch has its mandates.
“Our own epoch, which is our generation has a mandate to steer Africa away from the old steel model of unequal transactional exchange into one that is mutually beneficial to all of us in Africa.
“We want to aspire to something, and some of us will bring up the challenges, the obstacles, and the president will say, you know, there is nothing, no human endeavor or no goals that you set for yourself without attendance challenges.
“The challenges are supposed to be surmounted, resolved, so that you can sit clearly and turn the path of progress in achieving the objective”
The Minister added “Without challenges, actually life will be boring. So, where there are no challenges, you must be careful. There could be boobytraps. but when there are challenges, challenges are supposed not to discourage you, but to reinvigorate you, to charge your adrenaline into wanting to overcome those challenges.
“And when you do overcome the challenges, the victory is sweeter, we have to work assiduously to achieve this objective, and the challenges we are facing individually and collectively are meant to drive us to compel us to challenge us to achieving results for this generation, and for the future generation of Africans, and I also always tell my people that where there are no challenges, you must initiate some challenges or simulate some challenges, in order for you, in the process of overcoming challenges, you are…your skills for problem solving.
“I tell myself, when they say, oh, this thing is difficult, it’s never been done before. I said, that’s exactly why we must do it, and that’s exactly why we must move. Where we don’t have challenges, we simulate challenges and overcome the challenges.
“For us in Africa, the challenges are multifarious and multifaceted, but for us to keep moaning and groaning about these challenges, without real solutions, and without practicalizing those solutions, we will never move from this old model that we want to shift away from, so this platform of AFNIS 2026 has afforded us another opportunity to really clear out some of these challenges and proper solutions to these challenges.” he sao
The Minister at the closing ceremony also received instrument of power as Chairman of African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).
Handing over the instruments, Moses Michael Engadu, Secretary-General of AMSG, said “It is therefore my distinct honor and privilege to hand over his declaration as a commitment that will be reminding him every day, every minute, every hour the mission and the journey that he is making and the leadership is giving not just for Africa but for the people of Africa and the rest of the world.
“So this is the declaration that the minister said, committing that he will not only represent Nigeria, but lead the continent to prosperity. We entrust you, the African Minerals Strategy Group, your leadership to guide us with a symbol of the Gavel. Congratulations once again,
“Honorable Minister Excellency, as Chairman, you will be guiding us with a charter which is our legal instrument that will shape Africa’s mineral future.
“Finally, your Federal Republic of Nigeria was elected. The President received a certificate of election on investiture, but the Nigerian people did not see it, so it is our honor to present to you the certificate confirming the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected as the first chairperson of the Africa Mineral Strategy Group.*
With the signed MoU, Steron will benefit from dedicated capital support and specialised technical optimisation designed to ensure the project meets international standards for bankability, environmental sustainability and operational excellence.
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