Framed against a global mining and energy landscape increasingly dominated by China, Russia and the U.S, the strategy positions Africa as a critical pillar in France’s bid to reclaim market share, secure supply chains and reinforce long-term energy security.

France – Africa Partnership Prospects

The strategy calls for French companies and financial institutions to scale up their involvement across Africa’s priority sectors, particularly mining and energy – industries where competition for assets, off-take agreements and geopolitical influence has intensified.

From a strategic perspective, the strategy is closely tied to France’s domestic energy priorities. As Europe’s leading nuclear power producer, France relies heavily on secure and diversified uranium supply chains to safeguard its electricity system. Expanding its footprint across Africa’s mining sector would allow France to strengthen access to uranium resources, reduce exposure to geopolitical risks and maintain its leadership in the global nuclear energy market.

With demand for uranium for power generation forecast to increase by nearly 30% by 2035 and African producers such as Niger, Namibia and Zambia seeking capital and technical partners to expand output, the strategy presents a mutually beneficial growth opportunity. For France, it supports energy security and industrial competitiveness; for African producers, it unlocks long-term investment, off-take certainty and technical expertise.

Beyond uranium, the strategy aligns with France’s broader ambition to secure access to critical minerals essential for energy transition technologies, where global demand is expected to quadruple by 2030. With Africa holding 30% share of the world’s critical minerals, the strategy presents a huge opportunity for France to secure its supply of the metals.

France’s Africa Market Footprint

France enters this renewed push with an established presence across Africa’s mining value chain, offering investors a combination of operational experience, financing capability and technical know-how. Through investments by companies such as Orano and Eramet, France has played a role in the growth of several African mining markets. In Senegal, Eramet operates the Grande Côte mineral sands project, one of the world’s largest producers of ilmenite, zircon, rutile and leucoxene.

In Gabon, Eramet also operates the Moanda Metallurgical and Moanda Industrial manganese projects, while Orano maintains uranium operations in Niger and is expanding its African footprint through exploration in Botswana.

Beyond mining operations, French participation extends into finance, infrastructure and energy solutions. French renewable energy company Voltalia has partnered with investment institution the International Finance Corporation to finance and deploy renewable power solutions tailored to mining projects across Africa. The French Development Agency has also provided a €300 million loan to South Africa’s state-owned logistics company Transnet to support decarbonization efforts and improve efficiency across mineral transport and export infrastructure. In Gabon, Setrag - a subsidiary of Eramet’s Comilog - operates a rail network linking eastern and western regions of the country, facilitating the movement of minerals, goods and services.

French service providers also play a vital role in Africa’s mining ecosystem. Companies such as Geodrill and Technidrill support exploration and production activities across mineral-rich jurisdictions including Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and Mali.

Against this backdrop, African Mining Week - taking place from October 14–16 in Cape Town - is set to serve as a key platform connecting French investors and companies with emerging opportunities across Africa’s mining value chain.