Experts say Africa holds 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves such as platinum group metals (PGMs), manganese and chrome.
However, intra-African trade accounts for only 16% of total African trade, leaving an opportunity to strengthen cross-border cooperation and build integrated mineral value chains.
Enhanced regional collaboration offers a pathway for African countries to address longstanding structural challenges, including limited access to financing and inadequate infrastructure and shortages in technical skills.
Speaking in Cape Town at the Mining Indaba, Henry Alake, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said “Africa must finance strategic mineral corridors such as Lagos–Abidjan and Lagos–Maputo, not just to export raw materials, but to build cross-border processing industries that create jobs and retain value within the continent.”
At the same meeting, South Africa’s Geoscience Council signed an agreement with counterparts in Gabon.
SA brings extensive experience as the world’s leading producer of PGMs, chrome and manganese, as well as its historical position as a dominant gold producer. Gabon wants the technical support to accelerate the development of its potash, manganese and iron ore sectors.
Equally important, the partnership prioritizes local capacity building, workforce development and knowledge transfer, strengthening Gabon’s institutional and technical capabilities to support long-term mining sector growth.
“Africa’s integration is a strategic economic vision. Harmonizing natural resource laws and aligning with frameworks like the ECOWAS Mining Code and African Minerals Vision is key, but national interests disrupt continental coordination, limiting the continent’s mining potential,” Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources said at the same meeting.
Similarly, several African producers are leveraging South Africa’s technical expertise, including Nigeria and South Sudan.
Information: APO Group