Fragmented Gains, Shared Potential
Africa’s abundant endowment of lithium, cobalt, manganese, and rare earths positions the continent as a central player in the global energy transition. Yet, as demand surges, the benefits of this boom remain unevenly distributed. A new policy brief by the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Forum (TESS) warns that without coordinated regional strategies, African nations risk competing against each other for foreign investors, eroding bargaining power and value retention.
From Resource Competition to Collective Strategy
Most African countries currently export unprocessed minerals under disparate fiscal regimes and bilateral contracts. The report calls for harmonized standards on pricing, taxation, and local-content requirements through platforms such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Such coordination could enable economies of scale, strengthen negotiation positions with multinational firms, and foster the creation of cross-border value chains for battery production and green technologies.
Building a Pan-African Minerals Architecture
The vision is clear: transform Africa from a supplier of raw materials into a co-architect of the clean-energy economy. Achieving this requires not only technical cooperation but also political will—linking mineral governance to industrial policy, infrastructure development, and transparency commitments. As the world races to decarbonize, Africa stands at a crossroads: remain a fragmented exporter or unite as a strategic bloc capable of shaping the global green-minerals market on its own terms.