Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has called for stronger governance of Africa’s critical mineral resources, warning that the global energy transition could either drive the continent’s development or deepen long-standing patterns of economic dependency.

Fayemi made the call while delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Justice in Critical Minerals Governance and Energy Transitions Project, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship led by Dr. Clement Sefa-Nyarko. The event was held during Africa Week at the African Leadership Centre at King’s College London.

In his remarks, Fayemi highlighted Africa’s strategic importance in the global shift to clean energy, noting that the continent holds a significant share of the minerals required for renewable energy technologies. He, however, observed that Africa continues to face the paradox of resource abundance without broad-based development.