Nigeria rallies African nations on sustainable gold, gemstone development
By Kunle Sanni –
Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Dr Dele Alake, says African countries are taking decisive steps to deepen value addition, regional cooperation, and sustainable growth across the continent’s gemstones and gold value chain.
Alake made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja at a pre-event press conference ahead of the 4th African Gems and Jewellery Exhibition & Conference and the Gold & Gemstone Conference and Exhibition (AGJEC/GGCE 2025), scheduled to hold in Lagos. The 2025 edition is themed “Accelerating Collaboration for Sustainable Gold and Gem Development in Africa.”
Speaking through the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund, Fatima Shinkafi, the minister said the conference reflects a shared continental ambition to transform the mineral sector for the benefit of all Africans. He noted that despite hosting a third of the world’s mineral resources, Africa still earns only a marginal share of global mineral value.
Alake described this disparity as a major opportunity for growth and collective prosperity, stressing that ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda are designed to reposition Nigeria’s solid minerals industry. These reforms, he said, include enhanced transparency, expanded geological data acquisition, improved local refining and manufacturing capacity, and the formalisation of artisanal mining operations.
According to the minister, the reforms aim to protect mining communities, boost national revenue, and establish solid minerals as a core pillar of Nigeria’s industrialisation drive.
He also emphasised the job creation potential of gemstones and gold, noting that polished stones and finished jewellery command far higher value than raw minerals. Alake reaffirmed the government’s commitment to responsible sourcing, certification, and the shift from exporting unprocessed minerals to producing globally competitive finished products.
Commending the contributions of women in Nigeria’s mining sector, he pledged continued government support for training, community development initiatives, and safer mining practices.
