Experts at the African Development Bank have called on African countries to rise to the growing demand for clean energy products to market the minerals used in the production of goods, including lithium batteries, for powering electric cars.
The experts said at a virtual workshop on the future of mining in Africa post-COVID-19, urging the Africa’s minerals sector to seize the opportunities especially those presented by the global transition towards green energy.
According to the experts, the change to renewable energy should focus on the manufacturing of climate-sensitive products with less carbon dioxide emissions such as lithium.
The African Natural Resources Centre and the African Legal Support Facility, entities of the AfDB, stated that the change to the new products would facilitate the change to green energy around the globe.
“The ongoing global transition towards green energy and rapid decarbonisation holds significant potential for Africa’s extractives sector,” the experts said.
Speaking, the Director of the ANRC, Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, said, “Africa is strategically positioned to derive maximum benefits from the growing global lithium-ion batteries industry.”
