At the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, an important message emerged from Nigeria: Africa must change the way it develops, processes and benefits from its mineral resources.
Speaking on the implications of the discussions, Dr. Abiola Bashorun, Founder and Programme Coordinator, Climate-Smart Agronomy / Sustainability Programme, Nigeria & USA, said Africa must move beyond the historical model of extracting and exporting raw minerals while much of the processing, manufacturing, technology and economic value is created elsewhere.
At the Third Africa Minerals Strategy Group High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, called for a renewed continental effort to move towards greater value addition and ensure that Africa’s mineral resources translate into broader economic development.
One statement attributed to President Tinubu captures the challenge particularly well:
“The worth of a mine must be counted in the lives it improves.”
For Bashorun, that principle goes beyond mineral extraction. It raises a fundamental question about what should remain in communities after the minerals have been extracted.
She said the real measure of mineral wealth should ultimately be reflected in human development, stronger communities, productive economies and sustainable livelihoods.
From Mineral Extraction to Human Development
According to Bashorun, President Tinubu’s UNGA81 intervention points towards a continental shift from simply extracting mineral resources to creating jobs, industries, infrastructure, technology transfer, stronger African enterprises and prosperity that can endure across generations.
She said her Climate-Smart Agronomy / Sustainability Programme is aligned with that broader direction through an integrated framework connecting responsible mining and post-mining remediation with healthcare, climate-smart agriculture, environmental restoration, clean energy, agro-industrialisation and sustainable community economic development.
Bashorun stressed, however, that this alignment should not be interpreted as presidential endorsement of her programme.
She explained that the national and continental direction articulated at UNGA81 provides an important policy context for work her programme is already advancing.
“The President has articulated the destination: Africa must convert its mineral resources into greater African wealth and development,” Bashorun said.
“But there is an important implementation question: how can mineral development translate into lasting improvements in the communities where those resources are found?”
The Community Must Remain After the Mine.
For Bashorun, every mineral deposit has a finite productive life, but the community does not.
She therefore argues that responsible mining should not begin with extraction and end with closure.
Instead, planning for the future of the land, the people and the local economy should begin before mining starts.
Bashorun identified healthcare as an important component because mining communities and workers require appropriate health protection and services.
She also highlighted climate-smart agriculture as a pathway for creating productive economic activities capable of surviving beyond the lifespan of a mine.
Environmental restoration and post-mining remediation, she said, are equally important because mineral development should not leave communities with unusable land and long-term environmental liabilities.
Agro-industrialisation can further strengthen local economies by enabling communities to process, package and add value to agricultural production, while clean energy can support community infrastructure and productive enterprise.
Together, Bashorun said, these interventions can help create economic resilience beyond mining.
From Resources to Wealth Must Reach the Community
Bashorun said the theme of the UNGA81 roundtable — “From Resources to Wealth” — raises a fundamental question:
Whose wealth?
In her view, Africa’s mineral transformation will only have lasting meaning when value creation becomes visible in the lives of ordinary people.
She argued that a successful mineral economy should not be measured only by tonnes extracted, licences issued, investment attracted or export revenues generated.
It should also be measured by:
– Jobs created.
– Businesses established.
– Skills transferred.
– Healthcare strengthened.
– Land responsibly restored.
– Agricultural production created.
– Women and young people economically included.
– Local processing established.
– Household incomes improved.
“These are some of the ways mineral wealth can become human prosperity,” Bashorun said.
Responsible Mining Must Start Before Remediation
Bashorun also drew attention to what she described as a critical distinction in her programme’s approach.
According to her, remediation should not become an afterthought once mining has ended.
“Post-mining planning should begin before mining begins,” she said.
She explained that environmental baselines should be established, community health indicators understood, water and soil conditions documented, future land uses considered and local economic opportunities mapped before mining activities commence.
This, she said, would allow mining, community development and eventual restoration to become parts of one development plan rather than disconnected interventions.
Bashorun added that where scientific and environmental assessments determine that remediated land is safe and suitable, productive reuse could include agriculture, agroforestry, renewable energy, aquaculture or other locally appropriate economic activities.
For her, the objective should not simply be to restore land.
“It is to restore opportunity.”
Nigeria Can Demonstrate a New Model
Bashorun said Nigeria now has an opportunity to translate the principles articulated at UNGA81 into demonstrable projects.
She said her Climate-Smart Agronomy / Sustainability Programme could contribute to such an effort through collaboration with government, mining companies, host communities, healthcare institutions, agricultural organisations, universities, women and youth organisations, investors and development partners.
She proposed that a pilot Responsible Mining and Community Regeneration Framework could demonstrate how responsible mineral development can be connected to health, agriculture, environmental restoration and industrial development within selected mineral-producing communities.
For Bashorun, the objective is straightforward:
“Do not merely extract a mineral. Build an economy around the community that can survive after the mineral is gone.”
A Timely Alignment
Bashorun said the message emerging from UNGA81 provides an important policy direction for Africa: move from extraction towards value creation and ensure that mineral resources produce tangible development for African people.
She stressed that her Climate-Smart Agronomy / Sustainability Programme is aligned with that broader vision while bringing its own distinctive implementation approach.
Her proposition is:
Responsible Mining → Local Value Addition → Healthcare → Climate-Smart Agriculture → Clean Energy → Environmental Restoration → Agro-Industrialisation → Jobs and Enterprise → Sustainable Community Prosperity.
Bashorun said Africa cannot continue to be extraordinarily rich beneath the ground while too many communities above those resources remain poor.
“Nigeria has an opportunity to demonstrate a different model,” she said.
“Extract responsibly. Add value locally. Protect human health. Restore the environment. Build agriculture and industry. Create jobs and enterprises. And leave mineral-producing communities with sustainable prosperity that can continue long after mining ends.”
For Bashorun, that is what “From Resources to Wealth” should ultimately mean.