From Raw Materials to African-Made: How Africa Can Own Its Resource Value Chain

By Savior Mwambwa

Summary: In this short think-piece, I examine how African nations can transform exploitative resource extraction patterns into sustainable economic development. Drawing from my forthcoming research paper, I explore how strategic state involvement, regional integration through AfCFTA, and inclusive governance models can help Africa move beyond raw material exports toward manufacturing and value addition. I outline a 10-point framework for resource governance that balances economic development with ecological sustainability and community benefits. The goal: an Africa where batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicles aren’t just made with African materials, but designed, manufactured, and owned by Africans. #ResourceSovereignty #Africangreenindustrialisation #CircularEconomy 

Introduction: Resource sovereignty has long been a contested terrain in Africa. For far too long, we have witnessed both the entrenchment of exploitative patterns and the emergence of promising alternatives. In this piece, I share insights from my forthcoming research paper on how African nations can transform their relationship with natural resources. [The paper is titled “Resource Sovereignty and Value Chain Development in Postcolonial Africa: Navigating Global Geopolitics, Labour, and Ecological Limits in a Just Climate Transition”]

The Extractivism Trap: For centuries, Africa’s relationship with the global economy has been defined by extractivism, or in other words, the removal of natural resources that benefit others while leaving environmental and social costs behind. This pattern didn’t end with formal colonialism but evolved through neoliberal policies that privatized national mining companies and limited government oversight.

A case in point is Zambia’s copper sector that reveals this reality starkly. After the privatization wave of the 1990s, we’ve seen copper revenues soar while benefits to communities remained minimal. Today, nearly 80% of copper leaves as raw cathodes rather than higher-value products, and casual labor has replaced once-stable mining jobs.

But extractivism is taking new forms. The rush for “transition minerals” like cobalt and lithium risks reproducing colonial patterns under a green veneer. Meanwhile, digital technologies meant to ensure ethical sourcing often extract data from Africa while processing and monetizing it elsewhere.

From Resource Nationalism to Eco-Sovereignty: The good news? Alternative approaches are emerging across the continent. Botswana’s 50% equity stake in its diamond industry has funded infrastructure and education for decades. Tanzania’s bold mining reforms have increased government revenues despite initial implementation challenges. And Rwanda’s e-waste park shows how circular economy principles can create jobs while reducing environmental harm.

These examples point toward what researchers Lemos and Fernandes call “eco-sovereignty” – resource governance that respects both community rights and ecological limits.

Labor and Community at the Center: Resource governance isn’t just about state control. Research (including my own!) shows that the most durable models place workers and communities at the decision-making table.South Africa’s NEDLAC framework, bringing together government, business, and labor to navigate mining transitions, offers valuable lessons despite its limitations. Women-led movements against extractivism, documented by Hargreaves and Sharma, are pioneering alternative resource models centered on care and regeneration rather than exploitation.

Regional Integration: AfCFTA’s Promise – the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a historic opportunity to overcome extractivist patterns. By creating integrated regional value chains, African countries can process minerals locally and manufacture finished products for a continent-wide market of 1.3 billion people.

Imagine copper from Zambia combined with cobalt from DRC in African-made batteries powering renewable energy systems throughout the continent. The Economic Commission for Africa estimates this could increase manufacturing trade by up to 52% by 2030.

Way Forward: A 10-Point Path: In my paper, I emphasize and recommend to African states a 10-point framework for transforming resource governance:

1. Establish meaningful state equity in strategic minerals (30-40%)
2. Include labor and communities in resource governance decisions
3. Create regional processing hubs through AfCFTA implementation
4. Develop African-led traceability systems that maintain data sovereignty
5. Build circular economy infrastructure for mineral recycling
6. Link mining revenues directly to renewable energy access
7. Reform mining education to include processing technologies
8. Implement gender-responsive frameworks in resource governance
9. Use critical minerals as leverage in climate negotiations
10. Create multi-stakeholder monitoring systems for accountability

The Future Is African-Made

This way forward isn’t about choosing between development and sustainability, or between state control and private investment. It’s about reimagining resource governance to serve people and planet together.

Africa doesn’t need to follow the extractivist models that have depleted resources elsewhere. With strategic policies, regional cooperation, and inclusive governance, the continent can pioneer models that create prosperity while respecting ecological limits.

This is more than just about minerals in the ground. It’s about reclaiming Africa’s future – one where batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicles aren’t just assembled with African materials, but designed, manufactured, and owned by Africans. In my forthcoming paper, I  examine in detail pathways for African countries to achieve resource sovereignty while developing manufacturing capabilities and addressing climate transition challenges.