How well positioned is Africa to capitalize on rising demand for energy transition minerals?

Africa should begin by defining critical minerals based on its own development priorities, not solely on global energy transition demand. Current definitions are largely shaped by Western economies and focus on battery minerals such as lithium, cobalt and copper. While these minerals are important, Africa's immediate priority is industrialization.

The continent is expected to add another one billion people over the next 30 years, creating an urgent need for jobs, reliable energy, water, transport infrastructure and manufacturing capacity. Africa must therefore identify the minerals it needs to support these goals and distinguish between minerals that are globally critical and those that are strategically important for its own development.

Potash is a good example. Although it is not traditionally classified as a critical mineral, it is strategic for Africa because the continent relies heavily on imported fertilizers despite holding significant potash reserves. Developing these resources would strengthen food security and make agricultural supply chains more resilient. The same applies to minerals such as iron ore, which are essential for steel production and industrialization.

What practical steps can Africa take to improve financing for mining projects?

While China uses state-backed financing and the U.S. supports junior miners through development finance, Africa has yet to adopt similar mechanisms at scale. Exploration remains one of the biggest funding gaps, compounded by limited geospatial mapping across many countries. Development finance institutions are also reluctant to invest during the high-risk exploration stage.

The continent should instead unlock more domestic capital. Africa holds an estimated $4.4 trillion in pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance assets. Mobilizing even part of this capital could finance exploration, support junior miners and build a stronger project pipeline while attracting additional international investment through improved risk-sharing. Bureaucratic barriers continue to limit the use of African capital for cross-border mining projects. Removing these barriers would unlock greater African ownership of mining assets.

What trends will define the next phase of critical minerals beneficiation in Africa?

Regional value chains, rather than country-by-country processing, will define the future of beneficiation. Processing minerals requires reliable energy, transport infrastructure, skilled labor and regional cooperation.

Cross-border transport corridors represent the biggest opportunity. Projects such as the Lobito Corridor and the emerging Guinea-Liberia corridor can support industrial hubs, special economic zones and mineral processing facilities, allowing more value to be created within Africa instead of exporting raw materials.

We must recognize that around 90% of global mineral processing still takes place in China. Over the next 15–20 years, partnerships with China will remain important while Africa builds the skills, energy capacity and infrastructure needed to develop its own processing industry.

Regional cooperation will also be essential. Countries with smelters and refineries may lack ports, while others have strong logistics but limited processing capacity. Better integration can connect these strengths and create competitive regional value chains.

Africa has a limited window to transform its mineral wealth into sustainable economic growth. Strong stewardship of mineral resources is essential to create jobs, reduce poverty and build globally competitive industries. For decades, mining has generated significant value, but much of it has left the continent. The next 30 years offer an opportunity to change that by building regional industries rather than simply exporting raw minerals.

Why has CMAG partnered with African Mining Week 2026?

African Mining Week provides a valuable platform to position Africa's strategic minerals within the global supply chain while bringing together governments, investors and industry leaders to discuss practical solutions.

For CMAG, the partnership aligns with its mission to help Africa maximize the value of its mineral resources through stronger collaboration, investment and regional integration. The event provides an opportunity to share market insights, promote industrialization and build the partnerships needed to unlock Africa's long-term mining potential.