African Mining Regulators Push For Unified Minerals Charter

African mining regulators, industry experts and policymakers have called for stronger continental cooperation to safeguard the continent’s mineral wealth.

The call was made at the Regulatory Authorities Roundtable held at the Egypt Mining Forum, organised by the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) under the theme: “Strengthening Continental Cooperation on African Minerals Regulation.”

The high-level summit brought together regulators from across the continent to discuss establishing standard frameworks and aligning critical resource strategies across borders.

A major highlight of the conference was the participation of Mr Isaac Tandoh, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission.

In his opening remarks, Mr Tandoh urged African regulatory bodies to move beyond fragmented, nation-by-nation policies and co-create a unified Pan-African Critical Minerals Charter. He warned that harmonisation is necessary to prevent foreign entities from driving a “race to the bottom” through competing tax concessions and regulatory loopholes.

“Africa’s minerals are critical not because global markets say so, but because they hold the key to our continent’s economic sovereignty and industrial future,” Mr Tandoh declared.

“If we define our resource value on our own terms, mining becomes a true driver of broad-based domestic growth; if we fail to unite, we risk remaining merely a raw-material warehouse for other nations’ green energy transitions.”

Mr Tandoh also outlined Ghana’s ongoing regulatory reforms aimed at boosting State returns, local value addition and environmental compliance.

He stressed that automatic contract renewals and unmonitored privileges must end, and called for strict conditions tied to local job creation, technology transfer and community reinvestment.

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