Mahama: Africa won’t repeat colonial exploitation in critical minerals trade
President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Africa will not allow itself to become a passive battleground in a renewed scramble for its natural resources, stressing the need for the continent to take greater ownership of mineral processing and value addition.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, 2026, President Mahama said Africa’s critical minerals were vital to the global transition to green energy. However, he warned that their exploitation must not mirror the patterns of extraction and inequality associated with the colonial era.
“Africa will not remain a passive arena for a new scramble for resources. Critical mineral extraction in Africa must not replicate the colonial era exploitation,” he said.
The President called on African countries to move away from exporting raw materials and instead invest in domestic industries that can process minerals, generate employment and retain more economic benefits within the continent.
“We’ll process our minerals at home. We will build local industries that create dignified jobs for our youth and will retain the value of our natural resources in Africa,” he said.
He argued that Africa must secure a greater share of the benefits arising from the rising global demand for critical minerals, rather than continue exporting unprocessed resources while other countries capture the value addition and associated jobs.
President Mahama also highlighted the continent’s considerable resources, including extensive arable land, a youthful population and critical minerals needed for the shift towards green energy.
He said Africa’s economic transformation should be driven by stronger trade among its countries, industrial development and increased local processing of raw materials.
The President identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a key mechanism for promoting economic integration and industrial expansion across the continent.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area, whose Secretariat Ghana is proud to host, is our engine for intra-African trade, structural transformation and industrial growth,” he said.
His remarks formed part of a wider appeal for reform of the global economic system, which he said continues to place developing countries at a disadvantage.
He called for changes to what he described as longstanding sources of exploitation, including inequitable international trade practices, predatory resource extraction, discriminatory credit ratings and unsustainable debt burdens.
President Mahama further criticised the continued export of Africa’s raw materials while much of the value addition and job creation takes place beyond the continent.
“The injustices of the past remain embedded in today’s power structures,” he said.
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