From electric cars and smartphones to solar panels and power networks, many of the technologies shaping the modern world depend on minerals found beneath African soil. As countries race to build cleaner energy systems and secure reliable supplies of important resources, Africa is becoming increasingly important in the global mineral race. But the bigger question is whether African countries will gain enough from the resources the world needs.
What are critical minerals?
Critical minerals are natural resources that are considered important for modern economies, technology and national security. They are called “critical” because disruptions to their supply can affect industries and economies around the world.
Some of the minerals attracting growing attention include cobalt, copper, lithium, graphite, manganese, nickel and rare earth elements. They may sound like technical terms, but many are connected to products people use every day.
Lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel and manganese can be used in rechargeable batteries. Copper is essential for electrical wiring, power grids and many renewable-energy technologies. Rare earth elements are used in electronics, magnets and other advanced technologies.
As countries invest more in electric vehicles, renewable energy and digital technology, the demand for these minerals is becoming more important.
Why is Africa so important?
Africa has significant reserves of several minerals that are increasingly important to the global economy.
According to UN Trade and Development, Africa has sizeable shares of global reserves of cobalt, manganese, natural graphite, copper, nickel and lithium. The figures vary depending on the dataset and year, but the continent's position is clear: it is an important part of the world's mineral supply chain.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is particularly important. The United States Geological Survey says the DRC was the world's leading cobalt producer in 2024, accounting for an estimated 75% of global cobalt output and about 55% of global reserves.
South Africa is also an important mineral producer, while Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Madagascar and other African countries have resources that are attracting growing interest.
This means Africa is not simply rich in minerals used by traditional industries. It also has resources that are increasingly linked to the technologies of the future.
The electric car connection
One of the clearest reasons critical minerals have become so important is the growth of electric vehicles.
Unlike conventional cars, electric vehicles rely on large rechargeable batteries. Depending on the battery technology, these batteries can require minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite which creates a direct connection between African mines and the global electric-car industry.
A mineral extracted in Africa can eventually become part of a battery manufactured thousands of kilometres away and then installed in an electric vehicle sold in another country.
The same supply chain extends beyond cars. Batteries are also being used to store electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind power.
UNCTAD identifies lithium, cobalt, graphite and manganese among minerals important for clean-energy technologies, including electric-vehicle batteries and energy storage.
Africa's biggest challenge: exporting raw materials
Having valuable minerals is only the beginning,for many African countries, the bigger challenge is making sure more value is created locally.
A mineral can be extracted from the ground and exported as a raw material. It may then be processed or refined somewhere else before being used to manufacture batteries, electronics, vehicles or other products.
The countries involved in those later stages can capture more of the economic value. This has been a long-standing concern in Africa's resource sector.
UNCTAD says many African countries still export raw materials with limited local processing or industrial benefits. It has called for greater value addition and stronger regional supply chains.
Therefore, the issue is not simply about how much Africa mines but it is about how much Africa can process, manufacture and earn from what it mines.
The opportunity for jobs and industries
The growing demand for critical minerals could give African countries an opportunity to build industries around their natural resources. Instead of simply exporting lithium, cobalt or copper, countries could invest in processing, refining and eventually manufacturing.That could create jobs and generate additional tax revenue for governments.
It could also encourage the development of roads, railways, electricity systems, ports and technical skills needed by other industries.
UNCTAD says Africa's mineral wealth could help countries create jobs, raise government revenue and support economic diversification if more value is captured locally,but achieving this will not be easy.
Processing plants require reliable electricity, transport infrastructure, skilled workers, technology and significant investment.
Governments also need clear regulations that attract investors while protecting the public interest.
Why major powers are interested
Critical minerals are no longer just a mining issue.They have become part of the wider global competition over technology, energy and economic security.
Countries are trying to make sure they have reliable supplies of minerals needed for electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.
The OECD reported in 2026 that export restrictions on critical raw materials remain historically high, while restrictions cover significant shares of global exports of cobalt, manganese, graphite and rare earth elements.
This makes countries with important mineral deposits more strategically valuable, and that could create an opportunity for Africa
African governments can potentially use the growing competition to negotiate better investment agreements, demand greater local processing and encourage technology and skills transfer.
But they also have to avoid entering agreements that leave communities with little benefit while most of the value goes elsewhere.
But there is a human and environmental cost
The mineral boom also comes with serious risks.
Mining can affect land, water and communities. Poorly managed operations can cause pollution, damage ecosystems and create health and safety problems for workers.
In some parts of Africa, concerns have also been raised about working conditions in informal and artisanal mining.
The DRC's cobalt industry has received particular international attention because of concerns surrounding working conditions and informal mining, which does not mean mineral development should stop.
It means governments and companies need stronger standards to ensure that the people living and working around mines are not left carrying the biggest costs.
A successful mineral industry should create benefits for communities, not just profits for companies and revenue for governments
Africa has a choice
The growing demand for critical minerals presents Africa with both a major opportunity and a serious challenge.
The opportunity is enormous since continent could attract investment, create jobs, increase government revenue and develop industries linked to batteries, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
But there is also a risk of repeating an old pattern in which Africa exports valuable resources while other countries capture most of the value from processing and manufacturing.
That is why the critical-minerals debate is bigger than mining. It is about economic development, jobs, technology and who controls the future supply chains.
Africa's mineral wealth could help countries move beyond dependence on exporting raw commodities. But that will require investment in infrastructure, skills, technology and local industries.
It will also require governments to negotiate carefully, enforce environmental and labour standards and ensure that communities benefit from the resources beneath their land.
The bigger question
The world needs Africa's minerals, but Africa needs more than the world simply buying them.
The real opportunity is to use growing global demand to build industries at home, create decent jobs and generate lasting economic benefits.
As the global economy moves towards cleaner energy and more advanced technology, critical minerals will become increasingly important.
For Africa, the question is no longer simply what lies beneath the ground, but it is what African countries will do with it.
If they can turn mineral wealth into processing, manufacturing, jobs and stronger local economies, critical minerals could become an important part of Africa's economic future.
If they fail to capture more value, the continent could once again remain a major source of raw materials while much of the wealth is created elsewhere.
Africa has the minerals the world needs. The challenge now is making sure Africans benefit from them.
