President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for a global framework that benefits communities hosting critical minerals in Nigeria and Africa, ensuring value addition at the source.

This is coming just as Nigeria also backed the creation of global ethical standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI), aimed at accelerating development across the world.

President Tinubu made the call at the Third Session of the 2025 Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit, held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, South Africa, themed “A Fair and Just Future for All: Critical Minerals, Decent Work, Artificial Intelligence.”

The President, who was represented by Vice President KashimShettima, highlighted that for Nigeria and Africa, critical minerals are more than natural deposits, as they hold the promise of industrial transformation for the continent.

The Nigerian leader stressed that while the possession of resources alone does not guarantee prosperity, relevant authorities and stakeholders must ensure that the extraction and trade of critical minerals are governed by fairness, transparency, and accountability.

President Tinubu emphasised that such responsible extraction and trade are necessary to ensure that the wealth generated from hosting communities translates into shared progress.

The Nigerian leader further stated that as the world advances through green and digital transitions, progress must remain people-centred.

President Tinubu disclosed that Nigeria, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, is investing in future-ready skills by empowering Nigerian youths through digital literacy, vocational training, and entrepreneurship.

For a fair and just future, President Tinubu urged G20 leaders to deepen collaboration on technology transfer, capacity building, and inclusive investments that prioritise human dignity over profit alone.

On artificial intelligence, which has immense potential to accelerate development globally, the President said the task before G20 leaders, development partners, and governments is to ensure that AI remains a servant of humanity, not a force that reshapes society at the expense of those it ought to uplift.