Greenpeace Africa Warns It’s ‘Crunch Time’ For Africa’s Mining Sector Amid Global Mineral Rush

Environmental organisation Greenpeace Africa has sounded the alarm over what it calls “crunch time” for the continent’s mining sector, as the global shift towards clean energy fuels an intensifying demand for Africa’s critical minerals.

In a report released on Wednesday, the advocacy group cautioned that Africa’s mineral-rich landscape could either drive economic growth or repeat a cycle of exploitation that leaves the continent underdeveloped.

According to the findings, Sub-Saharan Africa holds around 30% of the world’s reserves of essential minerals, including Platinum Group Metals (PGMs), cobalt, and manganese—key resources in the global clean energy transition.

Weak Governance Could Turn Opportunity into Exploitation

“The rush feels all too familiar,” said Koaile Monaheng, Pan African Strategist at Greenpeace Africa. “It echoes the historical patterns of extraction that have enriched others, while impoverishing the continent, especially the communities standing on top of this wealth.”

The organisation emphasised that without strong governance, transparent regulations, and equitable value chains, Africa risks losing out once again as global powers compete for its mineral wealth.

Turning Mineral Wealth into Industrial Power

Despite the risks, Monaheng pointed out that this mineral rush also offers a rare opportunity for transformation.

“The opportunity to re-write the rules of engagement, to move from a model of raw resource extraction to one of value addition, to redirect fossil fuel subsidies to renewable energy infrastructure and ensure Africa’s mineral wealth, to demand prior consent as a non-negotiable and to ensure Africa’s mineral wealth powers not only the global transition but also Africa’s industrialisation,” Monaheng added.

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Greenpeace Africa’s report urges African governments to strengthen governance systems, enforce community rights, and prioritise local beneficiation to ensure that the continent’s mineral resources contribute to its own sustainable development—rather than fuelling another era of external exploitation.

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