MIIF CEO advocates for African mineral value addition

Justina Nelson, CEO of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), has called for increased investment, enhanced data sharing, and stronger regional cooperation to help African nations maximize economic returns from their mineral resources.

Speaking at a ministerial roundtable during the African Minerals Policy Forum (Mining in Motion Conference) in Accra, Nelson emphasized the necessity of moving the continent away from exporting raw minerals toward local processing and manufacturing. She noted that investing across the mining value chain could drive job creation and strengthen domestic industries.

Conference participants identified several critical requirements for establishing viable mineral processing industries, including access to affordable energy, financing, transport infrastructure, geological data, and technical expertise. Discussions also focused on the potential for processing minerals essential to clean energy technologies, such as lithium, into higher-value products.