Tinubu Pushes Debt Relief, Fair Mineral Trade as Nigeria Defines Agenda at G20 Summit.

By Caroline Ameh

Nigeria has declared that its participation at the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg is driven by its core national priorities and a commitment to building a more just global economic order.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said Nigeria’s engagements at the summit were aligned with its long-held principles of fairness, transparency, and shared prosperity. He spoke on the sidelines of the meeting in South Africa.

This was made known in a press release signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

The statement also explained that, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Third Session of the summit, said Nigeria’s contributions reflected a dedication to equity, value creation, and the advancement of Africa’s dignity on the world stage.

In a message delivered to world leaders, President Tinubu urged the G20 to prioritize debt sustainability and responsible mineral governance. He stressed that global economic reforms must address the conditions that trap developing countries in debt cycles or reinforce historical inequalities in mineral extraction. According to him, sustainable development is impossible under such conditions.

Nigeria’s delegation further reiterated that Africa must no longer be perceived solely as a source of raw materials. Instead, the continent should be positioned at the centre of value addition, industrial transformation, and technological innovation — pillars they say are essential for shared prosperity.

Addressing the summit’s theme, “A Fair and Just Future for All: Critical Minerals, Decent Work, Artificial Intelligence,” Vice President Shettima outlined Nigeria’s current investments in digital technology, skills development, and youth empowerment under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He maintained that these global transitions must be people-focused: “Decent work is the anchor that makes these transitions fair, inclusive and sustainable,” he said.

Ambassador Tuggar added that Nigeria again urged the G20 to establish fair rules for critical mineral extraction and trade, insisting that communities in resource-rich countries must benefit more equitably from the industries their lands support. Tinubu’s message emphasized that Africa’s minerals should drive its industrialization, not perpetuate structural disadvantage.

Tuggar also commended President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African government for hosting the first-ever G20 Summit on African soil, describing it as a historic recognition of Africa’s growing role in global decision-making.