The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Zimbabwe unveiled ambitious strategies to accelerate local mineral processing and reduce dependence on raw material exports at the African Mining Week 2025 Ministerial Forum in Cape Town.
The initiatives, aimed at fostering industrial growth, job creation, and value addition, signal a shift in Africa’s mining sector towards retaining greater economic benefits within the continent.
In the DRC, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba highlighted the country’s focus on special economic zones designed to attract investment and streamline tax procedures.
“We have established a one-stop shop to eliminate tax complications and facilitate industrial participation, providing capital and technology to boost the development agenda,” he said. Kabamba also announced plans to deploy artificial intelligence to optimise exploration and production, particularly for lithium and copper.
“We want to fully exploit the potential of lithium. We are second only to Chile in copper production and want to become first,” he added.
Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister Winston Chitando announced the commissioning of a new base metals refinery within two years, leveraging the country’s status as holder of the world’s second-largest platinum reserves.
Three industrial parks are under development in Hwange, Beitbridge, and near Harare to support local mineral processing. “Adding value makes economic sense. Exporting raw ore to the port is not profitable, especially for a landlocked country,” Chitando stressed.
In Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Yusuf Farouk Yabo, outlined plans to build a $1 billion mining economy by 2030.
“We need leadership, institutions, and the right policies. So, we are revising the 2011 Mining Act to meet the needs of the private sector,” he said.
Nigeria is also investing in the digitalisation of mining processes, particularly for mineral traceability, to ensure that resources come from licensed operators or formalised suppliers linked to artisanal mining.
These measures collectively reflect a growing continental effort to retain value within African economies, promote industrialisation, and reduce the longstanding reliance on exporting unprocessed minerals.
By combining technology, legal reform, and strategic infrastructure, these nations aim to transform their mining sectors into engines of sustainable economic growth.
About The Author
