Financing Africa’s Transition Minerals: Unlocking Value Chains for Sustainable Growth

Africa’s abundant reserves of transition minerals position the continent as a key player in the global energy transition. However, African nations face systemic challenges in developing integrated value chains from extraction to refining and manufacturing, limiting their ability to maximize the economic benefits of their resources. A significant barrier is the lack of financing mechanisms to support local value addition, refining, and manufacturing industries. 

The pledge of $300 billion annually from wealthy nations at COP29 fell drastically short of the $1 trillion requested by developing countries to address the climate crisis. This shortfall underscores the urgency of establishing equitable financing solutions to address the complexities of the energy transition and ensure that African countries not only can navigate their challenges but also take advantage of their opportunities. 

The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) is organizing a one-day high-level dialogue on the sidelines of the Africa Mining Indaba in collaboration with the Minerals Commission of Ghana and the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP). The event will explore innovative financing and technical mechanisms to support the equitable and beneficial utilization of Africa's transition mineral resources. It will also focus on strategies and strategic partnerships to strengthen the continent's mineral value chains and ensure it captures the full economic benefits of its vast mineral wealth.

Speakers:

• Oladele Henry Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Paul Kabuswe, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, Republic of Zambia
• Martin Ayisi, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Commission, Ghana
• Suneeta Kaimal, President and CEO, NRGI
• Marit Kitaw, Interim Director, African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC)  
• Nafi Chinery, Africa Director, NRGI
• Edwin Warden, Country Manager, Anglophone Africa, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)
• Fred Kabanda, Division Manager, Extractives, African Development Bank
• Richard Morgan, Head of Government Relations, Anglo American