Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, has been re-elected as the chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), a forum for the continent’s ministers responsible for minerals and mining.
Alake was first elected pioneer chairman of the group in 2024 on the sidelines of the future minerals forum (FMF).
His re-election was reportedly confirmed at the 2026 annual general meeting (AGM) of the AMSG, held alongside the FMF in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Sunday, Segun Tomori, special assistant on media to the minister of solid minerals development, said members at the AGM approved the creation of additional leadership positions to strengthen the group’s institutional framework.
The new roles include vice-chairman, deputy secretary-general and financial secretary, with an agreement that the positions be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.
He said while the offices of chairman and vice-chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other positions are to be filled by appointment from member states to which they are zoned.
“Under the new leadership structure, Nigeria’s Dr. Dele Alake continues as Chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa,” the statement reads.
“The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Hon. Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice-Chairman, representing Central Africa.
“The position of Secretary-General remains with Uganda (East Africa), Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (North Africa), while South Africa was zoned the position of Financial Secretary.
“The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the newly elected executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that where a serving minister is replaced, the successor automatically assumes the role.”
In his acceptance speech, Alake thanked his colleagues for the renewed confidence and stressed the need for African countries to work collaboratively to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals development.
He called on member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and to refine the group’s budgeting framework to improve operational effectiveness.
“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” the minister said.
Earlier, at a leadership roundtable themed ‘Africa: Unlocking Infrastructure Funding for Copper-Belt Production’, Alake said mineral production alone cannot deliver sustainable economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies and deliberate value-addition strategies.
He cited the Lobito corridor as an example of what can be achieved when rail, ports, energy systems and policy alignment work together.
Alake said similar opportunities exist across the continent, including the Lagos-Abidjan corridor linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire; the Walvis Bay corridor serving Southern Africa, and the Dar es Salaam and Central corridors connecting east and central Africa.
“The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability,” he said.
“What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives.”
Alake said unlocking capital at scale would require addressing critical constraints, including the lack of bankable and enforceable offtake arrangements, fragmented and unpredictable cross-border regulatory frameworks, and poor alignment of rail, port, power, and industrial planning.
The minister said the broader vision of the AMSG is to ensure that the continent’s mineral infrastructure is strategically designed, responsibly financed, and efficiently managed within a rapidly evolving global environment.
He said the objective is not to discourage investment, but to ensure it is aligned with long-term stability, transparency and shared economic prosperity.
According to the statement, the AGM also resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and ratified the establishment of standing committees, including legal, institutional affairs and human resources; sustainability and responsible mining; and finance, budget, and resource mobilisation.
AMSG
Dele Alake
solid minerals
