President Julius Maada Bio has called for a fundamental shift in Africa’s approach to its vast mineral wealth, urging the continent to move beyond raw extraction and export to local processing, manufacturing and value addition.
President Bio made the call while participating in a high-profile fireside chat at UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA 2026 in New York, where he became the first African Head of State to kick-start this year’s programme.
Speaking to a global audience of investors, policymakers and business leaders, President Bio said Africa’s mineral resources must no longer fuel industrialization elsewhere, but must become the engine for Africa’s own industrial transformation, economic diversification and inclusive growth.
According to the President, expanding mineral processing and manufacturing capacity within Africa would strengthen national economies, build resilient supply chains, and create meaningful, sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for the continent’s rapidly growing youth population.
He also emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in infrastructure across energy, transport, logistics and technology, noting that infrastructure is the critical enabler to unlock Africa’s productive potential and support long-term growth.
“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,” President Bio stated.
Following the fireside chat, President Bio witnessed the high-level opening ceremony of UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA 2026, which brought together United Nations leadership, former African presidents, prominent African business leaders, and representatives of leading global financial institutions.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf delivered powerful addresses during the opening ceremony, highlighting the importance of African leadership, strategic global partnerships, and bold investments in the continent’s development.
This year’s edition of UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA is being held under the theme: “Powering Business, Scaling Economies, Shaping the Future.”
The event is organised by the United Nations Global Compact and convened by the United Nations and the African Union. It is positioned as a premier platform for driving investment, African ownership, and sustainable growth, focusing on how the continent can capture more value from its critical minerals, mobilise capital at scale, and build more integrated and competitive markets.