ABUJA – A new chapter in African resource ownership began with the official launch of the Africans for Africa Fund (AfA Fund) at the just-concluded AFNIS 2025 conference in Abuja, Nigeria. The AfA Fund, a bold and strategic initiative driven by Core International, Motimosé Metals, Africa Minerals Strategy Group, and Allied Trust Asset Management, is designed to put Africans in control of the continent’s mineral wealth—ushering in a future defined by mineral sovereignty and economic self-determination.

At the launch, Tim Tokun, Managing Director of the Africans for Africa Initiative, challenged long-standing narratives around global resource use and Africa’s role in it. In his keynote speech, Tokun revealed that global resource extraction in 2021 alone exceeded the cumulative total mined from the beginning of humanity up to 1950, underlining the enduring—and expanding—significance of the mining sector.

“Africa holds 35% of global mineral resources,” Tokun said. “But for too long, Africans have received only rent, not real wealth. True sovereignty is about more than national symbols—it’s about energy, minerals, and control of our future.”

The AfA Fund sets out to break this cycle. According to Tokun, its mission is rooted in three core objectives:

Creating wealth for large numbers of Africans through local resource development.
Achieving parity with foreign mining companies.
Lifting frontline, resource-hosting communities through direct benefits and participation.
The initiative also acknowledges the shift in global demand—from traditional high-value commodities like gold and diamonds to so-called “unsexy” but vital minerals such as graphite, cobalt, and manganese, which are essential for renewable energy and battery technologies.