A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt: Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions

The DRC and Zambia are attempting to transition from extractive economies to value-added battery producers to support the global green transition. While they possess critical reserves of cobalt and copper, their efforts are complicated by a history of privatization, problematic governance, and a geopolitical tug-of-war between the USA and China. To succeed, both nations must expand local processing capacity and improve infrastructure, such as the Lobito Corridor, while managing the social and environmental impacts of mining.

• The DRC and Zambia are attempting to shift from extractive economies to a regional battery value chain to capture more value from minerals like cobalt and copper, which are essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy.
• Geopolitical competition between the USA and China heavily influences regional strategies; while China is currently the leading global processor of cobalt, the USA joined DRC and Zambia's battery industry efforts in December 2022 to secure critical mineral supplies.
• The EU, USA, and African partners are collaborating on infrastructure projects, specifically the Lobito Corridor railway to the Atlantic Coast, to facilitate the movement of critical minerals.
• Significant governance and structural obstacles persist, including the legacy of privatization of state-owned enterprises like Gécamines and ZCCM, limited local refining capacity, and issues surrounding child labor in artisanal mining.

APA

Mususa, P., & Lutandula, M. S. (2024). A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt: Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/a-battery-industry-in-the-central-african-copperbelt-regional-and-geopolitical-dimensions

Chicago

Mususa, Patience, and Michel Shengo Lutandula. A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt: Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2024. https://afripoli.org/a-battery-industry-in-the-central-african-copperbelt-regional-and-geopolitical-dimensions.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mususa |first1=Patience |last2=Lutandula |first2=Michel Shengo |title=A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt: Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=11 October 2024 |url=https://afripoli.org/a-battery-industry-in-the-central-african-copperbelt-regional-and-geopolitical-dimensions |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mususa2024battery, author = {Mususa, Patience and Lutandula, Michel Shengo}, title = {{A Battery Industry in the Central African Copperbelt: Regional and Geopolitical Dimensions}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://afripoli.org/a-battery-industry-in-the-central-african-copperbelt-regional-and-geopolitical-dimensions}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }