How Africa plans to protect its green wealth

You are probably reading this story on a laptop or phone that has used minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and manganese.

These metals are central to the green energy transition sweeping across the globe.

And Africa holds large reserves of them. Yet much of the processing and manufacturing happens outside the continent.

Africa is estimated to command about 30 per cent of the world’s critical mineral reserves.

For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo supplies more than 70 per cent of global cobalt production.

These minerals are vital for batteries and renewable technologies.

Yet Africa still exports most of its raw ores and imports finished parts, battery packs, solar panels, and electric vehicle modules.

That means much of the value chain lies beyond the continent.

At a recent Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) Forum in Freetown, Antonio Manda, Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mozambique, said:

“We are sitting on almost 30 to 40 per cent of the world’s minerals… There will not be a global energy transition without Africa.”

The statement frames a shift: from supplier of raw materials to potential hub of manufacturing and value addition.

Zimbabwe has taken concrete steps. The country has amended its mining laws and introduced a ban on exporting raw lithium ore, and will ban exports of lithium concentrates from January 2027.

These rules aim to force mining companies to process minerals domestically.

They want smelting, refining, and precursor production — not just extraction.

In Ghana, the government links renewable technologies with industrial manufacturing and job creation.

It offers fiscal incentives, duty relief on equipment, and industrial parks dedicated to battery components.

The aim: to move from exporting ore to assembling battery modules and even electric mobility parts.

In Sierra Leone, the government is pushing cross-border energy transmission and positioning itself as a supply hub for a 60-million-person regional market.

It invites independent power producers to build plants and sell directly to mines and industrial users.

This energy underpinning is crucial for value addition in mineral processing.

The figures are striking. African Union data show that if Africa continues mainly with raw mineral exports, the value may remain around US$11 billion by 2025.

But with local smelting, that value could rise to US$44 billion. Advance to precursor production and the value climbs to about US$271 billion, and with full battery assembly it could reach US$1.1 trillion.

The leap is enormous — but so is the gap.

Much of the bottleneck lies in infrastructure, processing capacity, technology transfer, and policy coordination.

The International Monetary Fund argues that advancing processing industries in Sub-Saharan Africa could boost GDP growth by up to 12 per cent by 2050.

Processing lithium, cobalt, manganese, and graphite demands heavy investment, specialist skills, and reliable power.

Amana Bawa, Director for Partnerships and Private Sector Engagement at M300 Accelerator, noted:

“Battery manufacturing is often held up as a goal. But it is capital-intensive, technologically complex, and requires integrated supply chains.”

In many African countries, the infrastructure is weak. Semiconductors, refining plants, chemical plants, and skilled labour are lacking.

Regulators and industry observers warn that unless the upstream and downstream sectors are aligned, Africa will remain at the tail end of value chains.

The shift is also geopolitical. China processes a majority of minerals from Africa. For example, China’s share of global cobalt refining is large; Africa exports raw materials and relies on foreign refiners.

African governments are now seeking stronger negotiating positions. They insist on “local industry” as a condition of any deal and argue that raw export is not enough.

Dr Gloria Magombo, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Zimbabwe, said:

“We must move away from resource nationalisation to value-chain sovereignty… No one country can do it all.”

Antonio Manda, Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mozambique, added:

“Technology transfer must happen. Our youth must drive innovation, not just extract minerals.”

Zimbabwe’s lithium strategy illustrates the model. It declared that from 2027, raw and concentrate exports will cease unless processing occurs domestically.

The aim is to have battery-grade materials and possibly battery assembly lines.

In South Africa, the focus is on manganese and developing battery-grade manganese sulphate — a key cathode ingredient.

Botswana is licensing its first manganese project targeting battery-grade output — a sign of new diversification.

These initiatives show Africa seeking not just extraction but industrial embedding.

If governance fails, value may still leak offshore. The governance of mineral deals remains weak in many countries, and transparency and accountability have not kept up with ambition.

Environmental and human rights concerns also persist. Some regions still struggle with artisanal mining, weak regulation, and poor community outcomes.

Uncoordinated policies can also undermine integration. Countries that act alone may duplicate capacity or fail to attract investors who seek scale and certainty. Regional integration across the continent is essential.

Dr Fadhel Kaboub, Associate Professor of Economics at Denison University, explained that Africa can no longer afford to trade raw minerals for finished products.

“Governments must invest in processing infrastructure. Refining, precursor production, and battery assembly should happen near the mines — not overseas,” he said.

“Africa needs reliable power, transport, and supply chains to attract investment,” said Amana Bawa, Director of Partnerships at M300 Accelerator.

“No one builds factories where electricity and roads are unstable. Zimbabwe’s lithium policy is smart but demands new power plants and industrial zones to make local processing work.”

Dr Kaboub said regional cooperation will determine success.

“The DRC has cobalt, Mozambique has graphite, and Zimbabwe has lithium. If they collaborate, Africa can build a full battery industry instead of competing for scraps.”

Bawa added that predictable rules matter.

“Investors trust systems that are transparent and consistent. Ghana’s 24-hour economic plan is a good example.”

Kaboub said technology transfer must be mandatory.

“Foreign companies should train African engineers and set up factories here. Otherwise, Africa will stay at the bottom of the clean energy chain.”

Both agreed that Africa’s next step is clear: build infrastructure, align policies, and insist on fair, skill-building partnerships.

If Africa succeeds, it could shift from being a supplier of raw ores to becoming a hub of manufacturing for the green energy revolution.

Jobs will increase. Revenue will grow. Local economies will benefit more.

But if it fails, the continent risks another extraction model — one that delivers little beyond raw export earnings.

The device you are holding might thus represent more than technology.

It might just be a choice — whether Africa moves up the value chain or remains stuck at the bottom.