The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake has urged mineral- rich African countries to use the proven mineral reserves of their countries as equity in joint ventures instead of taking loans that worsen the plight of their people.
Speaking at a ministerial roundtable on powering Africa in Washington DC, Alake deplored unwholesome pressure on African governments by loan marketers despite global concerns over the declining capacity of many countries to settle their debts.
Alake stated that Nigeria has an abundance of 44 critical minerals that exist in commercial quantities, emphasizing on-going reforms by the President Tinubu administration is set to sanitise the sector and make it attractive to big players.
The minister also had fruitful deliberations with a cross section of private sector players in the mining industry.
