African producers of cobalt, manganese and lithium use export restrictions to pressure foreign firms into local processing
Executive summary: About fifteen African nations producing cobalt, manganese or lithium have imposed export embargos or quotas since 2023. The restrictions aim to force foreign mining companies to invest in local mineral processing, shifting value addition to Africa.
Who is involved: African governments (cobalt, manganese, lithium producers), foreign mining and processing firms, and international battery material buyers.
Likely next: Continued negotiations between African states and foreign operators over investment terms, with potential announcements of joint ventures or processing plants in the near term.
Fifteen African countries have enacted embargos or quotas on key battery minerals since 2023, aiming to compel overseas miners to invest in refining capacity within the continent. The move reflects a broader strategy to capture more value from the critical minerals supply chain and reduce reliance on unprocessed exports. While it could boost domestic industrialization, it also risks raising costs and creating supply disruptions for global battery manufacturers.
Timeline
- — Minerais critiques : comment l’Afrique cherche à rééquilibrer le rapport de force avec les pays extracteurs (Le Monde — Économie)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- cobalt mining
- manganese mining
- lithium extraction
- mineral processing
Regulatory implications
- African export quotas or embargos on cobalt, manganese and lithium
- National legislation requiring foreign miners to process minerals locally