IN the small farming community of Touvre in Côte d’Ivoire, a confrontational situation unfolded between local residents and a foreign company engaged in lithium exploration. Last spring, villagers took to the streets to protest the company’s activities, only to be met with live gunfire and tear gas from the local police. Although no one was shot, medical reports obtained by openDemocracy reveal that three women were hospitalized as a result.
At the core of the residents’ discontent, according to Coulibaly Ibrahima, Côte d’Ivoire’s Director General for Mines, was the transfer of the licence for lithium exploration from Ivorian hands to a foreign company called Firering Strategic Minerals. This company, registered in Cyprus and listed on London’s AIM stock exchange, saw a surge in prospecting activities following the deal. The sudden presence of unfamiliar faces, primarily white individuals, further exacerbated the tensions, as local villagers had originally been approached by fellow Ivorians who promised that mining lithium would bring improvements to their lives.
Similar discontent and disruptions are likely to spread across communities in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali—countries located along the Birimian Greenstone belt. This geologically rich region stretches over 800 kilometres, from West Africa’s Atlantic shores to the semi-arid Sahel. As the developed world increasingly relies on lithium for electric batteries as part of its transition to green economies, the rush for this critical mineral is creating tensions and conflicts in these West African countries.
In Ghana, the most advanced lithium project to date is taking place in Ewoyaa, located near the Kakum National Park, approximately 100 kilometres west of Accra. Atlantic Lithium, an Australian company listed on AIM, was granted a licence by the Ghanaian government in 2021 to explore an area of 560 square kilometres covered in tropical vegetation, small holdings, and tin-roofed villages. While many people in the area are optimistic about the potential job opportunities, they express concerns about t
he destruction of crops and inadequate compensation from the prospectors. The rapid felling of trees, vital for firewood and charcoal, has taken villagers by surprise.
A local farmer in the area, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared frustrations about the prospectors destroying their lands and offering minimal compensation. ‘They destroy your farm produce and pay you what they want. They can destroy about 19 of your palm trees and pay you a meagre 800 Ghana Cedis (£54),’ the farmer explained. Experts emphasise the importance of trees in the environment and for farmers’ livelihoods, underscoring the need for compensation and tree replacement measures.
Atlantic Lithium defended its actions, stating that the company has worked closely with communities and the government to ensure fair compensation for affected crops. They maintained that the process adhered to the Mineral Commission’s requirements and was transparent.
While mining companies often promise job creation in communities, critics argue that the rush for commodities like lithium risks cementing Africa’s role as a mere mineral exporter. Géraud Magrin, a geography professor at Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris, highlights the limited development benefits for Africa, as profits tend to remain with the extracting firms and high-value chain economies such as the EU. Furthermore, modern industrial mining practices with higher mechanization result in fewer local job opportunities.
Adding to the concerns, the foreign companies involved in the lithium rush have histories that raise scepticism. For instance, Firering’s CEO, Youval Rasin, has been active in Côte d’Ivoire since 2002, primarily through his palm oil company, Dekel Agri-Vision (formerly DekelOil).
The company has faced accusations of land grabs and failure to fulfil promises made to villagers in Dibi, situated on the country’s eastern border with Ghana. In response, Nana Arsene, a former village chief, established an NGO called Yethio to advocate against Dekel. Arsene alleges that Dekel failed to secure land for displaced villagers and reneged on building a local factory. The lack of t
ransparency in plantation management and profit-sharing further compounds the grievances of the affected communities.
Dekel denies the accusations, stating that they never promised to build a factory or secure land for the village. They claim that all fruits from Dibi are collected and transported to a nearby processing facility. However, no detailed information regarding the transparent process of sharing proceeds with the village was provided.
As the quest for lithium intensifies in West Africa, it is crucial to address the concerns of rural communities and ensure fair compensation, environmental protection, and transparent operations. Balancing economic development with the preservation of local livelihoods and the environment should be a priority for governments, mining companies, and civil society organisations alike.
