The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Justina Nelson, has called for increased investment, data sharing and regional cooperation to help African countries derive greater value from their mineral resources.

She made the call during a ministerial roundtable on mineral value addition and beneficiation at the African Minerals Policy Forum (Mining in Motion Conference) in Accra on October 19, 2026.

The session, held at the Destiny Arena in Haatso, brought together representatives of African governments, continental institutions and international development organisations to discuss strategies for moving beyond the export of raw minerals towards local processing and manufacturing.

Nelson highlighted the need for African countries to attract investment and promote value addition across the mining value chain to create jobs, strengthen local industries and increase the economic benefits derived from mineral resources.

She also stressed the importance of sharing geological and other relevant data to improve understanding of Africa’s critical mineral resources and identify opportunities for their effective utilisation.

According to Nelson, regional integration and cooperation are essential to strengthening mineral value chains and enabling African countries to benefit more from their collective resource wealth.

Participants at the roundtable identified reliable and affordable energy, access to finance, transport infrastructure, geological data and technical skills as key requirements for developing viable mineral processing industries.

They also highlighted the need for effective regulatory frameworks and stronger coordination among governments, investors and development institutions.

The discussions further explored opportunities to process minerals used in clean energy technologies, including lithium, into higher-value products to increase the economic benefits for producing countries.

Nelson emphasised the need to translate existing policies and legislation into practical outcomes, noting that commitments to mineral beneficiation must be matched by effective implementation and tangible investment.

She also underscored the importance of managing Africa’s mineral resources in ways that deliver lasting benefits for present and future generations.

The roundtable formed part of the African Minerals Policy Forum, also known as the Mining in Motion Conference (AMPF-MiM), a platform focused on advancing the African Mining Vision.


MA