A rush for lithium in Africa risks fuelling corruption and failing citizens

Global Witness reports that the 'rush for lithium' in Africa is failing to deliver a just energy transition, instead risking the entrenchment of corruption and ESG failures. In Zimbabwe, the Sandawana mine is linked to sanctioned elites and ZANU-PF allies, with reports of child labour and the illegal export of unprocessed ore. In Namibia, Xinfeng Investments is accused of using bribery to acquire licenses and operating an industrial-scale mine under small-scale permits to avoid environmental assessments. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Manono project has been stalled by ownership disputes and allegations that shell companies linked to former President Joseph Kabila's associates profited by millions while the state treasury received negligible funds.

• The Sandawana mine in Zimbabwe is linked to politically connected individuals and firms subject to US and EU sanctions, including Kuvimba Mining House and the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI). The mine's management involves Henrietta Rushwaya, president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation and niece of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been accused of money laundering and gold smuggling.
• Despite a December 2022 government ban on exporting unprocessed lithium to encourage local processing, the Sandawana mine has continued to export raw ore to China via South Africa and Mozambique, facilitated by the US-sanctioned Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
• In Namibia, Xinfeng Investments is accused of acquiring its Uis lithium mine through bribery and fraud. The company allegedly used 'Mining Claims' intended for local small-scale miners—costing as little as US$14 each—to establish an industrial-scale operation and avoid conducting an environmental impact assessment.
• Xinfeng Investments in Namibia has been criticized for poor labor conditions, described by parliamentarians as 'apartheid conditions', and for harming local tourism by scaring away wildlife. The company also exported 55,000 tonnes of unprocessed ore to China in November 2022 under a special exemption.
• The Manono lithium project in the DRC has been stalled by a dispute between AVZ Minerals and Zijin Mining. Investigations by the Inspection Générale des Finances (IGF) found that Zijin paid under market value for shares and paid a $1.6 million 'commission' to a firm owned by a politically connected aide to President Felix Tshisekedi.
• A shell company called Dathomir Mining Resources, linked to Simon Cong and Guy Loando (a DRC senator and minister), allegedly generated up to $28 million from the Manono project despite having no track record of mining. These individuals have been linked to previous corruption schemes involving former President Joseph Kabila.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). A rush for lithium in Africa risks fuelling corruption and failing citizens. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/a-rush-for-lithium-in-africa-risks-fuelling-corruption-and-failing-citizens/

Chicago

Global Witness. A rush for lithium in Africa risks fuelling corruption and failing citizens. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/a-rush-for-lithium-in-africa-risks-fuelling-corruption-and-failing-citizens/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=A rush for lithium in Africa risks fuelling corruption and failing citizens |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/a-rush-for-lithium-in-africa-risks-fuelling-corruption-and-failing-citizens/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndrush, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{A rush for lithium in Africa risks fuelling corruption and failing citizens}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/a-rush-for-lithium-in-africa-risks-fuelling-corruption-and-failing-citizens/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }