African Mining Week 2025 Underscores Drive For Locally Led Exploration And Value Beneficiation

Our priority is to establish policies that attract exploration funding and support local geologists

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 7, 2025/APO Group/ --

The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) hosted a high-level ministerial roundtable on Thursday during African Mining Week 2025, bringing together representatives from several African mining ministries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), The Gambia, Nigeria and Egypt.

The roundtable focused on best practices to unlock opportunities across African markets by advancing exploration, production and value addition.

“This is not a symbolic meeting, but rather an opportunity to address real challenges. As a continent, some countries are progressing while others are being left behind when it comes to beneficiation,” said H.E Moses Micheal Engadu, Secretary-General of the AMSG.

He emphasized the need for structural remedies rooted in diplomacy, stronger African capital mobilization and the safeguarding of digital sovereignty. Engadu also underscored the role of sovereign wealth funds, national mining companies and pension funds in bridging Africa’s financing gap. Furthermore, he called for the development of a continent-wide critical minerals strategy, noting that while other regions have such frameworks, Africa still does not. “A continental strategy would help us protect and promote our interests,” he stressed.

Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority, reaffirmed Egypt’s readiness to collaborate with other African nations on developing and adopting a value addition strategy, while also enhancing youth empowerment and local participation in the sector.

Louis Watum Kabamba, Minister of Mines for the DRC, highlighted the importance of advancing mineral exploration through new investment partnerships, greenfield projects and digital tools to identify deposits.

“Our priority is to establish policies that attract exploration funding and support local geologists. No one knows a country’s geology better than its own people,” Kabamba said. He further emphasized cooperation between governments and chambers of mines to improve governance and share best practices.

Supporting Kabamba’s perspective, Eng. Yusuf Farouk Yabo, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, stressed that African countries must prioritize mapping their mineral resources to better understand the location and scale of deposits.

“After national mapping, it is the duty of countries to ensure only licensed operators are mining. We must also build adequate capacity for effective supervision,” Yabo stated.

He further urged the adoption of united policies to prevent the export of unprocessed minerals outside Africa.

Echoing the call for greater cooperation, Lamin Camara, Permanent Secretary at The Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, noted the importance of AMSG as a platform for developing continent-wide models.

“We have Nigeria’s geological survey to guide us in mapping our resources. We want to learn from them and adapt their practices,” Camara said.