Nairobi/Cape Town — Writing about the minerals beneath Africa’s soil often feels like unpacking a suitcase of clichés. We’ve all read the tired tropes: “land of contrasts”, “resource curse”, and “continent of paradoxes”. While sometimes rooted in truth, these phrases risk reducing complex realities to oversimplified narratives. However, the persistence of these clichés speaks to a deeper, more troubling reality: the facts on the ground have remained stubbornly unchanged for far too long.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, holds an estimated $24 trillion in mineral reserves, including 70% of the world’s cobalt. Still, according to World Bank data, its GDP per capita stands at just $577, compared to China’s $12,556 or Australia’s $65,099. Africa, as a whole, accounts for 30% of global mineral resources but contributes less than 3% of global GDP.
These disparities are not just statistical anomalies but symptoms of systemic failures that demand more than tired storytelling. That’s why, as I stood among the bustling crowds at the Mining Indaba 2025 in Cape Town this February, I couldn’t help but feel a bubbling sense of optimism. Mining Indaba 2025 attracted more than 9,900 international delegates. The Indaba reminded me that the future of Africa’s mining industry, and by extensionits economic destiny, lies not just in the minerals beneath its soil, but in the hands of its people, particularly its youth.
Take Fred Ouko, a 24-year-old graduate from Kenya’s Technical University and founder of the Safe Mining Forum in Kenya: I met Fred in the lunch queue at Mining Indaba.
Fred’s story is a microcosm of Africa’s mining reality. Growing up in Migori, a gold-belt region, located in the South West of Kenya also neighbouring Tanzania to the west. He has witnessed firsthand the dangers of artisanal mining. One of his family members was severely injured in a mining accident, a risk many from his community face daily.
“A gram of gold in Migori sells for about 10,000 Kenyan shillings,” Fred said, “but the sector is dominated by middlemen. Most miners don’t know how to manage their finances when they strike it big.”
Fred’s story is not unique. Across the continent, young Africans like him are stepping up to reshape the mining industry. With an average age of only 19,2 years, Africa’s youth represent both a challenge and an opportunity. They are the key to modernizing the sector, enhancing sustainability, and fostering inclusive economic growth.
The paradox of plenty
Part of what ails our continent is an affliction of abundance. Africa’s mineral wealth is staggering. The continent holds 90% of the world’s chromium and platinum, 40% of its gold, and the largest reserves of cobalt, vanadium, manganese, and uranium. South Africa alone accounts for 73% of the global platinum supply, while the DR Congo produces 70% of the world’s cobalt—a mineral essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.
But, and you just knew a big BUT was coming dear reader, Africa contributes less than 5% to global mineral revenues despite this abundance. Why? Because the continent remains largely a supplier of raw materials, minerals are exported at low prices set by global markets, with little value addition happening locally. For example, South Africa produces 7.2 million metric tonnes of manganese annually but processes only 2% domestically. The rest is exported as raw ore, leaving billions of dollars in potential revenue on the table.
The DR Congo’s story is often framed as a tale of wasted potential, but this framing misses the larger picture. Ranked 179th out of 189 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index, the country illustrates the complexities of transforming natural wealth into widespread prosperity. The ongoing tensions in the eastern region, underscore the broader challenges of resource governance and sustainable development. As South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, said in his keynote address at the Mining Indaba: “Africa must stand together to unlock the full value of its minerals for its people.”
The role of youth and community voices
Mantashe’s exhortation chimes with the sentiments of many of the young people whom I spoke with at the Indaba, who believe that Africa must move beyond the outdated model of exporting raw materials at low prices. Instead, it’s time for the continent to focus on adding value to its abundant resources, fostering real innovation, and building sustainable industries driving economic growth and creating opportunities for future generations.
The Impact Facility, in partnership with Mining Indaba, has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of those most affected by mining operations. Through their initiative, they invited mining community members, representatives of indigenous peoples, civil society organizations, activists, and visionaries to share their perspectives on what is needed to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and responsible mining sector.
The standout voices – besides Fred, of course – were Sonwabo Modimoeng and Kgomotso Mokone from South Africa. Sonwabo, a social entrepreneur and CEO of Faded Black Innovations, focuses on community development and social enterprise. His organization empowers civic organizations to achieve self-sufficiency through innovative social enterprises.
“We believe in the power of social entrepreneurship to elevate communities, create sustainable economic opportunities, and drive long-term positive change,” Sonwabo said during his panel discussion on mine closure and the communities left behind.
Kgomotso Mokone, a 23-year-old mining engineering student at the University of the Witwatersrand, represents the next generation of African mining leaders. As the Gender and Transformation Officer for the Mining Engineering Students Council, she is passionate about fostering inclusivity and transformation in the industry.
“Being part of a team that enhances student exposure to the mining industry while championing inclusivity and transformation is a highly rewarding milestone in my journey,” Kgomotso shared during a workshop on future-proofing mining communities.
The dawn of a new era
The Mining Indaba 2025 was not your usual talk shop but the dawn of a new era for mining in Africa. As Ian Sanders, Global Leader for Mining and Metals at Deloitte, aptly put it: “A big part of what we see today is the collaboration that comes together when governments, communities, employees, organizations, and regulators come together and talk openly and transparently.”
The Indaba also brought together hundreds of aspiring young professionals. According to the Head of Public Affairs at Investing in Mining Indaba, Collen Dlamini, “We know that future-proofing mining means empowering the most affected the most affected by the industry – the communities and giving them a voice in shaping the evolution of the sector. We are confident that the 31st edition has done that successfully and helped to place the industry on a trajectory of inclusive evolution to benefit the broadest possible range of stakeholders.”
This sentiment was echoed by Raksha Naidoo, Chairperson and CEO of Women in Mining South Africa, who remarked, “It’s fantastic. Bigger, better, bolder. Very exciting. It’s so wonderful to see more women represented and on speaking panels.”
Georgina Jones, Group Sustainability Manager at Base Resources, also threw a spotlight on the importance of the event’s focus on sustainability: “It’s very exciting to see the effort that’s gone into developing the sustainability series, so I’m really looking forward to the rest of the programme.”
Also, it bears repeating that the solution to Africa’s mining paradox lies in beneficiation—processing raw minerals into higher-value products. This increases revenue, creates jobs, builds industrial capacity, and fosters economic diversification. For instance, producing battery components from cobalt and lithium, rather than exporting raw ores, could position Africa as a leader in the global green energy transition.
However, beneficiation requires reliable infrastructure, particularly electricity. Here, there is reason for hope. In late January, leaders from over half of Africa’s nations convened in Dar es Salaam to launch a $35 billion initiative dubbed “Mission 300” to expand electricity access to 300 million people by 2030. Spearheaded by the African Development Bank and World Bank, the initiative focuses on solar mini-grids and below-market financing to accelerate progress. The Rockefeller Foundation and GEAPP are investing an initial $10 million in a flexible TA facility to rapidly deploy philanthropic capital, supporting African governments and MDBs in accelerating efficient electricity access projects.
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Too often African nations are dictated to by industrialized countries, which define “critical minerals” based on their own needs—cobalt for electric vehicles, lithium for batteries—while ignoring Africa’s developmental priorities.
Many of the young people stressed to me that supporting junior miners—small exploration companies focused on discovering new mineral deposits—is a strategy that will unlock Africa’s full potential. In other words, let a thousand flowers bloom. By fostering collaboration between industry players, universities, and innovators,
Africa can strengthen its capacity to secure critical raw materials for its own industrial growth and global supply chains.
The future is in our hands
The mining sector in Africa has the potential to be a catalyst for peace and development, but only if managed responsibly. Stripped to its core, the DR Congo’s ongoing conflict is a reminder of the need for transparent governance and equitable benefit-sharing. My main takeaway from Mining Indaba is a vision of mining companies meeting their social obligations by investing in communities. This approach, if embraced, has the potential to transform the sector into a true driver of inclusive growth and long-term prosperity.
As we approach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, we must sharpen our vision for what is possible. The minerals beneath our soil are not just commodities; they are the building blocks of a brighter future. By harnessing its mineral wealth, Africa can lift millions out of poverty, fund education and healthcare, and drive industrialization.
Nancy Atieno Onyango is the founder and CEO of Show Up Communications. She is a strategic communications expert with two decades of experience working in development cooperation, media, convening partnerships (Africa and EU), and providing high-level strategic advisory to corporates and multilateral agencies. She is deeply committed to driving purpose-driven communication strategies that amplify African voices on the global stage.
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