Africa Must Build Factories, Value Chains, Tinubu Tells Leaders

Africa Must Build Factories, Value Chains, Tinubu Tells Leaders
Says No Industrial Future Without Africa
Tinubu Seeks United African Strategy on Minerals, Energy

President Bola Tinubu has urged African countries to end their dependence on exporting raw materials, insisting that the continent must focus on value addition, industrialisation and regional collaboration to secure its economic future.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that Tinubu made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open the fifth African Natural Resources and Energy Summit (AFNIS), themed “One Africa, One Resource Vision.”

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Represented by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, the President said Africa remains central to the global industrial future because of its vast mineral and energy resources.

“There can be no true industrial future without Africa,” Tinubu said, stressing that the global transition to clean energy and advanced manufacturing depends heavily on the continent’s critical minerals.

He warned against a situation where African nations continue to serve merely as suppliers of raw materials while other regions reap the benefits of processing and manufacturing.

“There can be no just global order if Africa remains merely a supplier of raw materials,” he said.

The President urged African governments to move away from fragmented policies and adopt a united approach towards resource management, energy development and industrial growth.

“Africa must no longer export the future in raw form and import poverty in finished form,” Tinubu declared.

According to him, the continent must invest in refining, processing, manufacturing and the development of local value chains to maximise the benefits of its natural resources.

“We must power our factories, train our engineers and build our own value chains,” he added.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda aligns with this vision, noting that his administration is laying the foundation for a diversified economy driven by production, investments and job creation.

“We are strengthening the foundations for industrial growth, energy access and job creation,” he stated.

The President also called on African countries to harmonise regulations, remove barriers to intra-African trade, strengthen infrastructure and create transparent investment frameworks capable of attracting long-term investors.

He advocated a new continental resource compact that would transform Africa’s abundant natural wealth into sustainable prosperity.

Earlier, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, said Africa’s resource future cannot be secured through isolated national efforts.

According to him, minerals, energy systems, infrastructure and markets must function in an integrated manner across borders to unlock the continent’s full potential.

“The gas field in one region should support power and industrial growth across borders,” Alake said.

He added that mineral corridors should serve as catalysts for manufacturing, logistics and export opportunities, noting that Africa’s rising importance in the global supply of critical minerals presents a unique opportunity for economic transformation.

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Alake, however, cautioned that natural resources alone would not guarantee development, stressing the need for credible regulation, modern infrastructure, technology transfer, skills development and innovative financing.

“Transport, power and logistics gaps continue to limit Africa’s full potential,” he said, urging stakeholders to support bankable projects and regional value chains.

“Let this summit move us closer to an Africa that shapes value and builds industries,” the minister added.