Bio Urges African Nations to Process Minerals Locally

President Julius Maada Bio has urged African countries to process and transform their minerals within Africa instead of continuing to export them in raw form.

Bio made the call during a fireside chat at UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA 2026 in New York on Sunday, September 20, where he also advocated greater investment in infrastructure across key sectors.

“Africa must move beyond the extraction and export of raw materials. We must process and transform our minerals on the continent while investing in the infrastructure needed to drive value addition, strengthen our economies and create meaningful jobs and opportunities for our young people,” Bio said.

Focus on value addition

The president said Africa’s mineral wealth should provide a foundation for industrialization, economic transformation and inclusive development.

According to Bio, expanding mineral processing and manufacturing on the continent could support value addition, strengthen national economies and create employment opportunities, particularly for Africa’s growing youth population.

He also said modern and reliable infrastructure was essential to unlocking Africa’s productive potential and supporting sustainable economic growth.

The verified information does not identify specific minerals, countries, infrastructure projects, financing amounts or implementation timelines linked to the call.

UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA programme

Bio was described as the first African head of state to participate in this year’s UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA programme. The 2026 event was held under the theme “Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future.”

Following the fireside chat, Bio attended the programme’s high-level opening ceremony. The event was organized by the United Nations Global Compact and jointly convened by the United Nations and the African Union.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the African Union Commission, addressed the ceremony. Their remarks highlighted the importance of strong African leadership, effective global partnerships and bold investment in advancing the continent’s development.

The opening brought together United Nations leaders, former African presidents, African business executives and representatives of leading financial institutions.