Clionadh Raleigh on the Race for Africa’s Minerals

Feb 17, 2026 | Clionadh Raleigh
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As the United States, China and the European Union intensify efforts to secure minerals such as cobalt, lithium and coltan, all central to defence, technology and energy transitions, mineral-rich African states have become pivotal. But they are not passive bystanders. For many, extractives remain one of the few globally competitive assets available after decades of limited economic diversification. Leaders understand that demand is high and that buyers are competing. They are seeking to leverage that position accordingly. The political gains, however, are more likely to benefit governing elites than wider populations.