Nigeria’s critical minerals appeal urges fair benefits for host communities as Tinubu calls for global value creation and ethical AI at the G20 summit
President Bola Tinubu has said that a critical minerals appeal must shape a new global framework that guarantees fair benefits for communities hosting Africa’s mineral wealth.
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Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Third Session of the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, he stressed that mineral rich communities across Nigeria and the continent deserve genuine value creation rather than token gestures.
He told delegates that critical minerals now represent a strategic engine for Africa’s industrial transformation. However, he warned that simply owning these resources does not translate into prosperity without integrity, transparency and accountable management.
Tinubu said Nigeria is pushing for a global approach that encourages value addition at the source while ensuring that communities hosting these minerals are never sidelined.
He argued that the issue goes beyond economics and touches on the moral vision of the world global leaders hope to build.
The President added that as nations advance through green and digital transitions, people must remain at the heart of progress.
He described decent work as the anchor of sustainable development and said Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda is equipping young people with digital and vocational skills to compete in a fast changing global economy.
Tinubu also urged G20 members to deepen cooperation on technology transfer, investment and capacity building, insisting that human dignity must outweigh profit.
On artificial intelligence, he said global powers need to ensure AI strengthens development rather than widens inequality.
Nigeria supports the creation of ethical standards that uphold safety and fairness so that AI becomes a tool of empowerment and job creation.
The President called for strong partnerships between developed and developing countries to confront systemic bias in emerging technologies.
He maintained that critical minerals, decent work and AI are all interconnected drivers of inclusive growth that should uplift communities rather than exclude them.
Turning to global finance, Tinubu demanded reforms to create a fairer system that addresses debt burdens affecting many developing nations.
He warned that rising debt continues to trap economies in fragility, creating worldwide vulnerabilities.
He said Africa’s transformative development requires united G20 commitment, particularly on debt sustainability and responsible mineral management.
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The G20, he noted, must advance policies that promote financial inclusion, sustainable growth and the mitigation of emerging risks.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
