Mudassir Amray, Executive Director of Tropical General Investments (TGI Group), has described gold as “a metal of strategy” and “an inflation firewall” for African economies.

Amray made the remarks during his keynote address at Gold Roadshow Africa, a gathering of central bankers, policymakers, and institutional investors exploring Africa’s growing role in the global gold value chain. His presentation, titled “The Bridge Between Trust, Value and Financial Sovereignty for Africa,” highlighted the recent gold rally, which saw the metal surpass $4,300 per ounce for the first time, reflecting a global shift in trust, capital, and geopolitical influence.

“For years, gold was seen as a metal of beauty. Today, it stands as a metal of strategy—politically neutral, instantly liquid, and a firewall against inflation and currency depreciation,” Amray stated.

He noted that Africa produces over 40% of the world’s gold but captures less than 2% of its financial value, calling for a stronger focus on domestic value addition. “We export raw and import finished wealth,” he said, emphasizing the importance of building local processing capacity.

Amray commended initiatives like Kian Smith Gold Refinery, highlighting them as steps toward sustainable value capture and industrial growth.

Following his keynote, Amray participated in a high-level dialogue with Bolaji Balogun, Founder and CEO of Chapel Hill Denham, moderated by Bode Oyetunde of the African Development Bank (AfDB). The discussion focused on policy, infrastructure, and investment frameworks needed to integrate gold into Nigeria’s financial system.

The Gold Roadshow Africa concluded with a shared commitment among participants to strengthen policy alignment, promote private sector investment, and advance local gold processing to drive inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent’s gold value chain.