Keypoints:
- African leaders pledge mining reforms
- Focus on value addition, transparency
- Critical minerals drive global interest
AFRICAN leaders are aggressively reforming mining regulations to attract investors and seize the moment in the global race for critical minerals. Speaking at the London Indaba on June 24, officials from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa outlined bold new policy directions to increase transparency, unlock investment, and add value locally.
The push comes as mineral-rich nations aim to move beyond raw extraction, using battery metals and rare earths as leverage to secure infrastructure, jobs, and industrial growth at home.
Zambia prioritises transparency and infrastructure
Macenje Mazoka, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the UK, said Lusaka has overhauled its mining governance systems to improve investor confidence.
‘We’ve rebuilt our mining capacity to make licence acquisition transparent and instil trust in the process,’ she told the panel.
Zambia is also conducting detailed geological mapping to better market its mineral potential to global buyers. Key to this strategy is infrastructure investment, such as upgrading the Lobito Corridor, to support trade and cross-border industrialisation.
‘We’re putting a real offer on the table by understanding what’s beneath the ground—and by building corridors that can power regional growth,’ Mazoka said.
Zimbabwe banks on clarity and beneficiation
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Winston Chitando, echoed the importance of policy clarity for long-term mining investment.
‘This is a long-term industry. Investors need certainty—and Zimbabwe has it through consistent legislation and a clear framework,’ Chitando said.
He underscored Zimbabwe’s push for maximum extraction and value addition, arguing that exporting raw materials has historically undermined Africa’s development.
‘We lose jobs and economic value every time we ship out minerals unprocessed. That must change,’ he said.
Chitando called for more regional collaboration to boost in-continent beneficiation before export, positioning Zimbabwe as a partner for investors seeking long-term returns and policy consistency.
South Africa fast-tracks licences and strategy
Phumzile Mgcina, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources, said her country had streamlined its licensing system and adopted a Critical Minerals Strategy to keep pace with global demand.
‘Investors need speed and certainty. We’re aligning our policies to make investment easy and fast,’ Mgcina said.
She stressed that South Africa views all minerals as critical—depending on context. While coal may be shunned globally, it remains vital to the domestic energy mix.
Mgcina also tied mining reforms to job creation and skills development, saying South Africa wants beneficiation that goes beyond infrastructure.
‘We’re talking about reskilling, upskilling, and keeping value in-country,’ she said.
Redefining ‘critical’ in African terms
Mazoka challenged the notion that critical minerals are defined solely by global markets.
‘What is critical to us is what helps us grow our economy and create jobs. That includes minerals important locally, even if they aren’t hot on global indices,’ she said.
Mgcina and Chitando agreed that while lithium, cobalt, and rare earths are globally strategic, minerals like coal, copper, and platinum remain essential at the national level.
‘Every mineral matters. We must explore, extract, and add value to all of them—not just the ones others define as critical,’ Chitando said.
From extraction to transformation
Across all three countries, officials called for an end to the old model of raw material exports and a shift toward industrialisation, partnership, and inclusive growth.
Mazoka said Zambia is seeking joint ventures that encourage manufacturing and job creation, not just resource extraction.
‘The model of sending out raw materials is overplayed. We want partnerships that help us grow our industries, not just their profits,’ she said.
She also questioned resistance from some quarters in the West when African nations demand a bigger share of their mineral value.
‘Why the pushback? We’re being hit hard by geopolitics, and we have every right to build value from our own resources,’ she added.
Africa sets new tone on mining and investment
The London Indaba revealed a growing confidence among African leaders that mining must serve broader development goals—not just global supply chains.
With battery minerals and green technologies driving a fresh wave of resource interest, countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa are making it clear: investment is welcome, but only under new terms.
Those terms include:
- Clear, consistent mining policies
- Transparency in licensing and operations
- Local beneficiation and job creation
- Infrastructure investment and regional integration
As Mazoka put it: ‘This is one of the biggest opportunities of our time—between the tech transition and the energy transition, we can reshape how Africa grows.’
