The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, has identified collaboration, performance assessment, peer learning and collective action on value addition as key priorities of the forthcoming African Raw Materials Summit, aimed at accelerating Africa’s industrialisation and strengthening its capacity to convert abundant resources into high-value products.
The Minister stated this during a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the two-day summit scheduled for 19–20 October 2026, with the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factory.”
Dr. Udeh explained that the summit would convene Ministers responsible for Science, Technology and Innovation, industry and raw materials, alongside researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders from across Africa to address shared challenges and advance practical solutions for the development of the continent’s raw materials sector.
The Minister said the summit would provide a strategic platform for collaboration and collective problem-solving, enabling stakeholders from different countries and sectors to exchange experiences, strengthen partnerships and develop coordinated responses to challenges confronting Africa’s raw materials value chain.
He also highlighted the importance of reviewing progress and assessing performance since the maiden edition of the summit. According to him, the engagement would provide an opportunity to evaluate previous outcomes, identify implementation gaps and determine practical measures to address outstanding challenges and improve results.
On peer learning and the adoption of best practices, Dr. Udeh noted that the summit would enable policymakers, chief executives and industry leaders to learn from countries that have recorded progress in developing their raw materials sectors, while encouraging knowledge sharing and the adoption of effective strategies across the continent.
The Minister further emphasised the need for collective action to promote value addition, urging African countries to move beyond exporting raw materials in their unprocessed forms to investing in local processing, manufacturing and the production of finished goods. He stressed that science, technology and innovation would be critical to retaining greater economic value within the continent and creating opportunities for investment, industrial growth and employment.
Dr. Udeh maintained that the overarching objective was to strengthen Africa’s capacity to transform its natural and agricultural resources into higher-value products and services, thereby advancing industrialisation, promoting sustainable economic growth and unlocking the continent’s economic potential.
He expressed optimism that the summit would translate discussions into practical outcomes, strengthen cooperation among participating countries and promote deliberate action towards building a competitive, innovation-driven African industrial economy.
The African Raw Materials Summit is expected to bring together key government officials, researchers, investors, development partners and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for harnessing Africa’s raw materials through science, technology, innovation and value addition.
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