President Bola Tinubu has declared that the world strategically needs the African continent for its wealth and invaluable resources that are essential for economic growth and development.

The President who was represented by Vice Kashim Shettina at the Africa Minerals Strategy Group summit in New York, United States of America on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said that Africa possesses 92 percent of global reserves of platinum, 56 percent of Cobalt, 54 percent Manganese, and 36 percent of Chromium, all minerals used in the manufacture of batteries.

Stating that the world needs Africa today more than ever, President Tinubu called for a new era of commercial partnerships, diplomatic relations, and economic collaboration between Africa and the rest of the world.

President Tinubu highlighted the historical precedent of cordial relations between African kingdoms and European traders before colonization, noting that “before Africa was plundered and overpowered with the technological innovation of the gun, their ancestors and their counterparts from Europe were friends, business allies and mutual sovereigns.”
He however lamented that this harmony was upset by the devastating Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The president stated that Until the visitors became greedy and upset the cordial harmony by unleashing the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the most devastating depopulation that mankind has ever witnessed.

The Nigerian leader highlighted the critical role of technology, especially battery advancements, in driving progress and the global fight against climate change.

President Tinubu called for breaking free from the age-old role of raw material supplier, stating, “A situation in which the raw minerals are extracted from the countries, exported, refined and sold to us as finished products merely consolidates the foundations of the misery and pushes us further down the depths of underdevelopment.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake who is chairman of AMSG said, “Africa is endowed with unparalleled wealth – vast reserves of minerals, expansive forests and remarkable renewable energy potential.”

According to Alake, the pattern of mineral production and development in Africa however continues to create a huge imbalance between the region and the developed world.

He said all African-endowed resources are not just the lifeblood of the different economies but are the foundation upon which the continent can build a sustainable and inclusive future for all citizens.

In his welcome address, the Secretary General of the AMSG Moses Engadu told the gathering that Africa must speak with one voice and promote one common agenda in taking advantage of the vast opportunities that abound in value addition to unlock the great potential in its mineral resources.

The theme of the summit is Africa’s natural resources as catalysts in shaping not just the continent’s future but the future of our world.