Nairobi — TANZANIA has issued a call for a decisive shift in Africa's mining sector, urging countries to move away from exporting raw minerals and instead invest in value addition, industrial capacity and regional integration.

Speaking at the closing of the Kenya Mining Investment Conference & Expo 2026, Tanzania's delegation led by Minister of Minerals, Anthony Mavunde said the continent's resource wealth can only translate into real development if it is processed and industrialised within Africa.

"Africa cannot continue exporting raw materials and importing finished products. The time to build our own processing capacity is now," the minister said.

Moreover, Mr Mavunde underscored a strategic pivot for the sector from mere extraction to industrialisation, from raw exports to value-added production, and from fragmented national markets to stronger regional value chains.

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Mavunde said the transition will depend on three critical enablers: investment in modern infrastructure and reliable energy, predictable and investor-friendly policy frameworks, and deeper public-private partnerships anchored in trust and stability.

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Additionally, he said that while capital remains important, it is policy certainty and institutional trust that will ultimately unlock large-scale mining investments across the continent.

The conference also highlighted growing regional ambition, with Kenya's delegation noting plans to scale up the mining sector's contribution to 10 percent of GDP by 2030. Kenya's Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho acknowledged Tanzania's progress and the increasing momentum for collaboration in the sector.

As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, Tanzania's message resonated with a broader African agenda: shifting from resource extraction to value creation.