Mattai Pushes Regional Mineral Processing to Boost Africa’s Industrial Growth
Alex Fefegula Harding Sierra Leone’s Mines Minister Julius Daniel Mattai has urged African governments to deepen cross-border cooperation and expand local mineral processing to retain more economic value from the continent’s natural resources.
Mattai made the call at the Mining in Motion conference in Accra, where he joined policymakers, mining executives and investors to discuss ways to strengthen Africa’s mining industry.
During a panel discussion titled “From Ore to Industry: Building Competitive African Beneficiation Corridors,” the minister highlighted the need to move beyond exporting raw minerals and develop industries that process resources within Africa.
He argued that coordinated regional efforts could help countries attract investment, improve infrastructure links and establish connected mineral supply chains.
Such cooperation, according to Mattai’s position as outlined in the supplied account, could enable African economies to capture more value from their mineral resources while supporting industrial development and employment.
The minister also called on governments, private-sector investors and development partners to turn policy discussions into practical initiatives. He identified mineral-processing capacity, infrastructure and technical skills as areas requiring sustained investment and collaboration.
The push for greater beneficiation reflects a broader policy challenge for mineral-rich African countries: converting resource extraction into wider economic benefits rather than relying primarily on exports of unprocessed commodities.
For Sierra Leone, the issue is relevant to efforts to strengthen the domestic benefits of mining through value addition, investment and responsible resource management.