Tinubu to Chair Africa Minerals Summit in New York

President Bola Tinubu is set to chair a high-level African summit on critical minerals in New York next month, as the continent seeks greater control over its mineral wealth.

The Third High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa will hold on September 21, 2026, in Manhattan, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Tinubu, who chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) General Assembly, will lead discussions focused on transforming Africa’s mineral resources into greater economic value.

The summit, themed “From Resources to Wealth: Continental Cooperation for Mineral Value Addition,” is expected to bring together African leaders, government officials, ministers, investors, development finance institutions and executives from the mining, technology and logistics sectors.

The meeting comes amid growing global demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and defence technologies.

Africa possesses significant deposits of minerals including lithium, copper, cobalt, graphite, manganese and rare earth elements. However, much of the continent’s mineral resources have historically been exported in raw or minimally processed forms.

The AMSG said the New York summit would seek to change that model by encouraging greater local processing, manufacturing and integration of mineral value chains.

The group said African countries must move beyond the traditional extract-and-export approach and attract transformative investment capable of creating jobs and strengthening local industries.

The meeting will also build on the Mutual Assured Development framework launched earlier in 2026 at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja.

Participants are expected to unveil the proposed Continental Integration and Economic Assurance Declaration, covering policy coordination, investment mobilisation, local value addition and supply-chain security.

A proposed CIEAD Finance Window will also seek to mobilise capital for mineral processing, infrastructure, technology and other areas necessary to develop competitive African value chains.

The summit will be convened by AMSG leadership, including Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake and Secretary-General Moses Michael Engadu.

Development finance institutions, multilateral organisations and private-sector stakeholders are also expected to participate.

The AMSG, established in January 2024, aims to coordinate Africa’s critical minerals policies and strengthen the continent’s position in the global minerals economy.