The race for Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals, essential for the production of electric vehicles or renewable energy, has become a major geopolitical battleground between the United States and China.
With the demand for minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel surging, China has solidified its dominance over Africa’s mining sector through strategic investments and infrastructure deals. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a key driver, offering African nations infrastructure in exchange for mining rights. Notably, Chinese firms have gained significant control over cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which supplies nearly 70% of the rare metal globally. In addition to raw material acquisition, China has also established itself as the leading processor of critical minerals, refining African resources and securing a key position in the global supply chain.
Meanwhile, the United States, despite efforts to counter China’s influence, faces considerable challenges. U.S. companies rely on private sector investments, which often struggle to match China’s state-backed financing. Moreover, China’s long-term relationships with African governments and its control over mining operations have made it difficult for the U.S. to gain a foothold. While the U.S. has made some strides with initiatives like the Lobito Corridor Project and the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, it still lags behind China, which continues to expand its investments across the continent.
According to Aly-Khan Satchu, geo-economic analyst specializing in sub-Saharan Africa, compared with its competitors, China had taken such a forward-leaning posture in mining and critical mineral acquisitions in Africa that “soon it will be so far ahead of the curve, its competitors will have lost sight of it.” As the demand for critical minerals intensifies, the competition between the two powers is expected to escalate, with Africa’s role in shaping global supply chains becoming more crucial.