African extractive sector stakeholders and policymakers convened in Accra for the 2026 Africa Regional Extractives Industries Knowledge Hub (AFREIKH) Summer School. The gathering addressed the urgent need for Africa to transform its critical mineral wealth into tangible development outcomes. This comes amidst soaring global demand for transition minerals essential for the global energy shift.
The intensive one-week event, organized by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), received support from the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and GIZ. Participants discussed how Africa can avoid past resource exploitation failures and instead achieve a sustainable, industrialized future. The continent holds significant reserves of minerals like lithium, manganese, graphite, nickel, and cobalt.
This initiative fits into a broader narrative of African nations seeking greater value from their natural resources. Historically, many African countries have exported raw materials, missing opportunities for industrialization and job creation. The current global energy transition offers a new chance to change this economic trajectory and build stronger domestic economies.
Benjamin Boakye, Executive Director of ACEP, delivered a stark assessment of Africa's past resource management. He stated, “Across the African continent, crude oil exploration has generated enormous expectation but too often those expectations have not translated into development.” Boakye emphasized that revenues were lost, institutions weakened, and economic transformation opportunities missed. He urged a collective determination to learn from these mistakes and demand accountability.
The immediate implication is a push for African governments and regional bodies to develop cohesive strategies for mineral processing and manufacturing. Decision-makers must focus on building strong institutions and ensuring transparent, inclusive governance to prevent corruption. Markets will watch for policy shifts that support local value addition rather than just raw material exports. This strategic pivot is vital for Africa to capture greater economic benefits from its mineral endowments.
Nafi Quarshie, Africa Director of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), challenged participants to dismantle old extractive frameworks. She observed, “Our challenge is not simply to extract different minerals; it is to produce different development outcomes.” Quarshie stressed that Africa cannot remain energy poor and insufficiently industrialized while possessing keys to the global green transition. She called for a cohesive regional strategy to process, manufacture, innovate, and develop regional markets and skills.
International development partners echoed this sentiment. Magdalena Wüst, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland, highlighted that natural wealth alone does not guarantee success. Wüst emphasized that Africa must move beyond being a resource supplier to capturing greater value from its national wealth. She added that a successful energy transition depends on the strength of Africa’s institutions and its people.
The Summer School aims to equip future leaders with tools to navigate complex governance and fiscal constraints. Organizers warned that corruption risks and severe governance challenges could still undermine positive outcomes. To seize this moment, resource-rich African countries must adopt appropriate economic policies. These policies must integrate transition requirements while ensuring transparent and inclusive governance. ACEP remains committed to changing this trajectory through collaboration and shared learning.