FAIRNESS MOYANA
The global race for lithium and other critical minerals is reshaping Africa’s economic future. From Zimbabwe to the Democratic Republic of Congo, resource-rich countries are positioning themselves as indispensable partners in the world’s transition to electric vehicles, battery storage and renewable energy.
But as billions of dollars flow into new mining investments, a pressing question is emerging: will Africa’s green minerals boom create lasting prosperity for mining communities or repeat a familiar cycle of extraction that leaves local people behind?
Zimbabwe has become one of the continent’s leading lithium producers, attracting substantial international investment and strengthening its place in global energy supply chains. Yet in communities such as Hwange and Binga, residents say the benefits have been slow to materialise.
For them, the success of the energy transition will not be measured by export earnings or production volumes, but by whether mining translates into jobs, infrastructure and improved livelihoods.
“Lithium mining and processing is happening in our area, but as community members we are not seeing meaningful benefits yet,” says Village Head Anita Ncube of Kamativi in Hwange District.
“We want our children to get jobs at the mines, better roads, schools, boreholes, clinics and tangible development in our lives and livelihoods.”
The concerns surfaced during stakeholder consultations organised by WWF Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation under a regional initiative promoting environmentally and socially responsible value chains for energy transition minerals in Southern Africa.
The five-year programme, led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and financed through Germany’s International Climate Initiative, seeks to strengthen environmental governance, improve community participation, enhance corporate accountability and promote equitable benefit-sharing in mining communities.
The initiative arrives at a critical moment. Zimbabwe’s mining industry contributes about 80 percent of export earnings and roughly 12 percent of Gross Domestic Product, making it central to the country’s development ambitions. Authorities have also introduced measures aimed at increasing local value addition, including restrictions on the export of raw lithium.
However, stakeholders argue that rapid mining expansion continues to expose longstanding governance challenges.
“We have lived in Kamativi for many years dating back to the times when tin mining was rife and now lithium is being extracted,” says 79-year-old Davidson Mvula.
“Yet, as communities we have seen the same challenges of unemployment of locals and limited platforms to engage with mining companies.”
Traditional leaders say communities must no longer remain spectators in decisions involving their natural resources.
Chief Pashu of Binga says local people must become active participants in determining how mineral wealth is utilised.
“Our expectation is that mining should improve the lives of our people through employment, infrastructure development and support for community projects. Communities must be consulted and involved in decisions that affect their land and livelihoods.”
The debate extends beyond economics. Hwange and Binga sit within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, one of the continent’s most significant conservation landscapes, making environmental stewardship an essential part of the conversation.
Environmental Management Agency District Environmental Officer Phinias Mudimba says communities require the skills and resources to monitor mining activities before large-scale operations intensify.
“This programme is coming at the right time for Binga. Mining activities are still at infancy stage, and communities need training on responsible mining, monitoring, land restoration and environmental protection before mining expands further,” he says.
There are also growing calls to ensure that women, people with disabilities and small businesses are included in the opportunities created by the green economy.
“As a person living with a disability and running a poultry project, I believe mining should bring opportunities for everyone in the community, including women, people with disabilities and small business owners,” says Jennette Phiri of Kamativi.
“Communities should benefit from the resources in their areas.”
WWF Zimbabwe Project Manager for Community-Based Environmental Governance, Yvonne Zano, says the energy transition presents a rare opportunity to redefine the relationship between mining and development.
“The energy transition presents significant opportunities for Zimbabwe and the region, but those opportunities must be accompanied by strong environmental safeguards, community participation and equitable benefit-sharing if mining is to contribute to sustainable development.”
According to Binga District Development Coordinator Land Siansole Kabome, the initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises responsible mining, environmental protection and inclusive economic growth.
Yet Zimbabwe’s experience also mirrors a wider challenge confronting many African countries endowed with critical minerals.
Africa may possess many of the minerals needed to power the world’s green transition, but their true value will not be measured by how quickly they are extracted or exported. Their greatest contribution could lie in something far more enduring: creating jobs, protecting ecosystems and building resilient communities that share in the prosperity generated from the resources beneath their feet.
Because ultimately, Africa’s green minerals can power far more than the energy transition — they can power a more inclusive model of development.
