The Africans for Africa (AFA) Initiative has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tanzania-based KNY Chemicals Ltd to develop mineral processing projects and promote sustainable tailings management across East Africa.
The agreement, signed following the conclusion of the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026), is aimed at strengthening collaboration in mining chemicals, mineral beneficiation and value addition across the continent.
Under the partnership, KNY Chemicals will leverage its expertise in specialised mining reagents and chemical processing to support AFA’s growing portfolio of mining projects, with an initial focus on developing tailings projects in East Africa.
The collaboration seeks to transform mining tailings—often regarded as environmental liabilities—into commercially viable assets while reducing the environmental footprint of mining operations.
Speaking on the partnership, Co-founder of the AFA Initiative, Suleiman Zakari, said the agreement reflects the organisation’s commitment to fostering regional collaboration and building an integrated African mining ecosystem.
“The strength of the AFA ecosystem lies in our ability to connect leading African operators across different regions. KNY Chemicals represents the pinnacle of industrial chemical expertise in East Africa. By integrating their capabilities into our ecosystem, we are creating a blueprint for efficient, circular mineral processing that spans the continent,” he said.
Zakari noted that the agreement provides a framework for joint project development, research and the deployment of beneficiation technologies using locally sourced chemical inputs.
According to him, the initiative aligns with AFA’s broader objective of promoting industrialisation and ensuring that more value from Africa’s mineral resources is retained within the continent.
Finance and Strategy Director of KNY Chemicals Ltd, Simon Karunditu, said the partnership would expand the company’s specialised mining chemical solutions beyond East Africa while advancing innovation in mineral processing.
“Partnering with the AFA Initiative offers a unique opportunity to apply our specialised mining chemical solutions on a pan-African scale. We share a common vision that Africa’s mining industry must evolve through innovation. By combining our chemical processing capabilities with AFA’s investment and technical infrastructure, we are setting a new standard for sustainable tailings management,” he said.
The AFA Initiative is a specialised institution established to promote resource sovereignty across Africa through strategic investments in critical mineral projects. It manages the AFA Mining Fund I, a private equity vehicle that supports projects meeting the requirements of its 51 per cent Total African Benefit (TAB) model.
KNY Chemicals, based in Tanzania, is a leading supplier of mining chemicals and mineral processing reagents in East Africa. The company focuses on developing sustainable and cost-effective chemical solutions that improve the efficiency and environmental performance of mineral extraction and processing.
