What You Need to Know
Africa is at the forefront of technological transformation and clean energy transition, possessing a vast reserve of strategic minerals. However, this wealth raises urgent questions about national sovereignty and social justice, as the continent remains heavily reliant on exporting raw materials without added value.
Africa-Press. Africa today is a central player in the race for technological transformation and the transition to clean energy, thanks to its vast reserves of strategic minerals. However, this wealth raises urgent questions about national sovereignty and social justice, amid concerns about the continent’s continued reliance on exporting raw materials without added value.
Estimates from the African Consulting Center, as published by “Africa Focus,” indicate that Africa holds about 30% of the world’s mineral reserves. These resources range from gold and diamonds to future minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper, and uranium.
This diversity has made mining a cornerstone of several economies. According to World Bank data, mineral exports account for over 70% of total national revenues in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, while South Africa relies on gold and platinum to secure foreign currency.
Despite the global momentum surrounding Africa’s minerals, the Africa Focus report views the sector as a “double-edged opportunity”: it generates significant revenues and provides job opportunities, but it also reveals structural fragility, as over 80% of Africa’s mineral exports are sold as raw materials to Asia and Europe, according to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 2023. This reality deprives African countries of the benefits of local manufacturing and related jobs, keeping the continent in a cycle of “exporting raw materials and importing finished products.”
Mining at the Heart of Geopolitical Conflict
Mining has become more than just an economic issue; it is closely tied to national security and sovereignty. Data from the African Consulting Center shows clear models of this interconnection. In Niger, uranium has become a focal point of competition between traditional powers like France and emerging powers like Russia, while the conflict over gold mines in Sudan has financed armed militias, exacerbating security crises and prolonging internal conflict.
As global demand for “green minerals” used in battery and solar panel production rises, Africa finds itself in a crucial position at the intersection of the global economy and local politics. The Africa Focus report concludes that the mining sector could serve as an entry point for industrial transformation if the continent can break the cycle of corruption and conflict, transitioning from merely being a “global mine” to a full industrial partner in international supply chains.
Africa is home to approximately 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, including gold, diamonds, cobalt, lithium, copper, and uranium. This diversity has made mining a cornerstone of several economies, with mineral exports accounting for over 70% of national revenues in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
The mining sector is not just an economic issue; it is closely linked to national security and sovereignty. In Niger, uranium has become a point of competition between traditional powers like France and emerging ones like Russia. The struggle for gold mines in Sudan has financed armed militias, exacerbating security crises and prolonging internal conflicts.
