Nigeria Advocates Local Mineral Processing And Value Addition Across Africa

Nigeria Advocates Local Mineral Processing and Value Addition Across Africa The Federal Government has renewed its call for greater local processing of Africa’s mineral resources, stressing the need for countries on the continent to move beyond exporting raw materials and focus on value addition. The government said developing local mineral processing capacity would help create jobs, attract investment, strengthen industrial growth and ensure African countries benefit more from their natural resources. Officials noted that Africa possesses significant mineral deposits that are critical to global industries, including those linked to energy transition, technology and manufacturing. However, much of the continent’s mineral output is still exported in raw form, limiting economic benefits for local communities and industries. Nigeria said it is pursuing policies aimed at encouraging domestic exploration, processing and manufacturing within the mining sector. The government emphasized the importance of partnerships, technology transfer and private-sector participation in building a competitive mineral value chain. Stakeholders said stronger regional cooperation among African countries would be essential to developing infrastructure, improving technical expertise and establishing processing facilities that can support long-term economic development. The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to promoting responsible mining practices and ensuring that Africa’s mineral wealth contributes more significantly to economic transformation across the continent.