By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
Urban-Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED), a leading environmental safety advocacy group in Nigeria, says the just-concluded 2026 Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) in Abuja may mark a turning point in Africa’s quest to take greater charge of its mineral wealth.
U-RED made the projection in a statement signed by its Executive Director, God’spower Martins, and released to journalists in Abuja on Friday.
According to Martins, a major outcome of the summit was the strengthening of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) through the signing and ratification of key instruments by member states.
He cited Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who in his closing remarks challenged African leaders to move beyond commitments and ensure agreements produce measurable results. “AFNIS should not become another talk shop but a platform for practical achievements,” Martins quoted the Minister as saying.
During the ceremony, AMSG Secretary-General Moses Michael Engadu presented the Charter, instrument of ratification, ceremonial gavel and certificate confirming Nigeria’s election to lead the continental body. Dr. Alake pledged to strengthen regional cooperation and urged African countries to remain resolute despite the challenges ahead.
U-RED said the developments reflect a growing realization that Africa can no longer remain a supplier of raw strategic minerals while other regions create the industries, technologies and wealth from them.
The group listed 18 countries already aligned with the AMSG initiative, including Nigeria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Chad, South Sudan and Mauritania.
“Their shared vision is to ensure that Africa captures more value from its natural resources through local processing, industrialization and regional cooperation,” Martins said. U-RED welcomed the vision, noting that Africa’s minerals “must become instruments for development, not symbols of missed opportunities.”
The Executive Director warned against repeating past patterns where “enormous wealth leave our lands” while communities face poverty, environmental degradation, poor infrastructure and unemployment.
He said value addition must be the foundation of Africa’s mineral strategy, with resources like lithium, cobalt and copper driving local industries for batteries and renewable energy components.
Martins also called for a unified approach to global negotiations. “African countries should adopt a coordinated mining diplomacy similar to the collective influence achieved by OPEC.
Speaking with one voice will place the continent in a stronger position to negotiate fair pricing, technology transfer, local processing investments and mutually beneficial partnerships,” he stated.
However, U-RED stressed that economic progress must not harm communities or the environment. “Communities must be recognized as partners in development, not as barriers, with meaningful participation in decisions affecting their land and livelihoods. Transparency, accountability and environmental responsibility must guide every stage of mineral development,” the statement said. Civil society, it added, must act as watchdogs to ensure commitments are honoured.
