Publications
From Potential to Production
Key Plays to Ensure Africa Translates its Mineral Wealth into Global Mining Leadership
Publications: From Potential to Production
December 3, 2025
Berlin
This white paper, authored by McKinsey as a knowledge partner for The Africa Roundtable, examines Africa’s role in the global critical minerals market.
Africa holds over a quarter of the world’s cobalt, lithium, platinum, and rare earth element reserves – vital for green and digital technologies – but currently contributes only 12% of global supply.
The paper explores strategies to overcome infrastructure, investment, and regulatory challenges, highlighting opportunities in industrial clusters, local processing, and global partnerships.
By unlocking Africa’s mineral potential, the continent can build resilient, diversified, and globally competitive industries that meet rising global demand and drive sustainable economic growth.
Key Messages
Strategic Reserves
Africa holds 28% of global critical minerals, including major shares of cobalt, tantalum, and platinum group metals.
Underutilized Potential
Despite vast reserves, Africa contributes only 12% of global production due to infrastructure, risk, and investment gaps.
Industrial Clusters
Mining clusters can lower costs, share infrastructure, and attract investment to scale Africa’s minerals industry.
Value Retention
Midstream and downstream investments can increase local processing and capture more value from minerals.
Competitive Mines
Operational efficiencies, technology, and AI can boost African mines’ global competitiveness.
Global Partnerships
Collaboration with international partners can drive growth, technology transfer, and secure resilient supply chains.
Contact Persons
Stephanie Igunbor, s.igunbor@globalperspectives.org
Supported by
Publications
Our publications aim to stimulate questioning and discussion. They are the result of a deep engagement with the focus topics of our work and enable a fact-based dialogue.
Related Program
We are at a turning point in European-African economic relations. The action recommendations of the fourth conference.
The Commission “A Changing World – Germany and the Global South” presents its recommendations as a basis for addressing key strategic decisions facing Germany today.
The Commission "A Changing World - Germany and the Global South", chaired by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, presents its first impulses ahead of the German federal elections in 2025.
The African continent has the potential to become the global agriculture powerhouse. The action recommendations of the sixth conference.
The research paper on food sovereignity in Africa was issued on the occasion of The Africa Roundtable “Growing Africa's Future” 2024 in Berlin.
In the ninth edition of the Africa Roundtable, we discussed how Europe and Africa build partnerships that turn Africa's raw material wealth into local value creation.
As the side event to the annual Ibrahim Governance Weekend, we aim to identify the opportunities to deepen trade and investment relations as well as leveraging private and institutional funding.
The sixth edition of the Africa Roundtable focuses on how the African continent can unlock its full potential as an agricultural powerhouse.
Health security in Europe and Africa is closely interconnected. We discussed stronger collaboration through investment in local production, health equity biotechnology, research, and innovation.
The distribution of power in the international system is changing. We interviewed 10 experts from the so-called 'Global South' to get their insight into their perception of Germany's role.
At the eighth edition of The Africa Roundtable, we discussed how to rethink and strengthen sustainable finance in Africa through strategic partnerships with Europe.
The second edition of The Africa Roundtable focussed on recovery, preparedness, and resilience in times of crises. It examined new possibilities for sustainable European-African cooperation.
The fifth edition of The Africa Roundtable focussed on employability, skills and training and examine the possibilities of equal education and training for Africa's youth.
At the first edition of The Africa Roundtable, we discussed how the recovery of the post-Covid economy can succeed and why this requires climate protection and cooperation.
Following the World Climate Conference COP27, we discussed partnership-based solutions for future cooperation between Europe and Africa at the third edition of The Africa Roundtable.
Following COP27, decision-makers from both continents discussed collaborative action plans for a just green transition, energy and agriculture.
Amid shifting global dynamics, investing in Africa’s strengths in renewable energy and climate action is more urgent than ever. The action recommendations of the eighth conference.
Program Archive
Health security in Europe and Africa is closely interconnected. We discussed stronger collaboration through investment in local production, health equity biotechnology, research, and innovation.
Africa is emerging as a major hub for innovation and artificial intelligence. With leading African voices from Big Tech, academia, and innovation, we highlighted AI innovation across the continent.
Climate policy is security policy. We discussed how Europe can work with countries in the Global South to implement concrete measures that benefit both sides.
At the launch of the Alliance for Integrated Security, we discussed the current geopolitical challenges and identified potential areas of cooperation between Germany and the Global South.
As global conflicts increase and uncertainty rises, Europe and Germany must take greater responsibility for their future and adopt a broader approach to security.
Europe’s access to critical minerals in Africa depends crucially on stronger private sector engagement. We have now taken the recommendations further.
In times of limited resources and geopolitical tension, multilateral institutions can maximize the impact of existing development funding.
Funding cuts are putting health systems across Africa under pressure. Collaboration with Germany and Europe can help strengthen healthcare in the long term.
This interview publication reviews the effects of recent cuts in reproductive health, presents practical options for funding and service delivery, and offers guidance for policymakers and investors.