Africa: Critical Minerals - the Hidden Resources Powering the Clean Energy Future

What the report says

AllAfrica, distributing a UN News Service report dated 21 July 2026, highlighted why “critical minerals” have become central to debates over clean energy, economic development and security. The report says materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and graphite are essential for electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, electricity grids and consumer electronics, making them increasingly important as countries move away from fossil fuels.

According to the UN News report, demand is rising quickly because renewable-energy and battery technologies require far more mineral inputs than many conventional systems. It cited examples including electric vehicles needing substantially more minerals than traditional cars and offshore wind installations requiring more mineral resources than gas-fired power plants. The report also said demand for many such minerals is expected to triple by 2030, raising their strategic importance for countries with major deposits, including in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia.

The report framed the issue as both an opportunity and a risk. Mineral-producing countries could gain jobs, public revenue and more diversified economies if resources are well managed. But the UN News article also warned that weak governance and poor regulation can contribute to corruption, armed conflict, smuggling, environmental damage and human rights abuses. It listed possible harms from poorly managed mining, including deforestation, water pollution, biodiversity loss, soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions.

AllAfrica’s repost said the UN Security Council is examining whether the minerals needed for the green transition could worsen geopolitical tensions or instead support peace and sustainable development. The central policy question, as presented by UN News, is not whether mining should happen, but how mineral wealth can be governed so that local communities benefit and extraction does not finance violence or deepen instability.