Leveraging Africa's Mineral Wealth: Key to a Thriving Semiconductor Industry

Semiconductors are the backbone of everything from smartphones to solar panels. And while Africa is home to more than half of the world’s cobalt reserves and significant deposits of tantalum and other rare earth minerals —the question remains: can it do more than just mine? In conversations with Global South Pole, two experts, one focused on technology and the other on sustainability, weigh in on how the continent can rise in the global semiconductor supply chain without repeating past mistakes.

Bringing a materials' science perspective, Dr. Adebisi Adetayo Abdulmumin, an associate professor at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, argued that Africa’s entry point should be the less capital-intensive segments of the supply chain—like assembly, testing, and packaging [ATP]. He also stressed the importance of aligning education with industrial demand to build a skilled workforce and reduce brain drain.

“Africa has the mineral wealth and plays a significant role in global semiconductor industry. So by moving up the value chain, fostering regional cooperation, and investing in education infrastructure and R&D [Research and Development], African nations can establish a competitive semiconductor industry that contributes to technological and economic growth. Moving beyond material exportations to value addition in manufacturing in the semiconductor industry requires strategic planning, investment and policy reforms. We can build a skilled workforce and invest in R&D, establish local semiconductor manufacturing plants, and with that, African nations can transition from raw material exporters to key players in the global semiconductor industry,” Dr. Abdulmumin explained.

On the sustainability front, Reny Patrick Ndaruhutse, a mining and environmental management specialist, warns that industrial expansion cannot ignore ecological realities. He believes renewable energy and smart water management must be embedded into any semiconductor development strategy. Rwanda, he notes, is already piloting these models.

“Many of these mining companies are located in remote areas that don’t have access to grid electricity, so they rely on diesel generators, which are environmentally damaging. If African mining companies adopt solar energy, it could drastically reduce the carbon footprint. Also, using underground water encountered during mining and setting up closed water circuits can reduce the pressure on local water resources. That way, industries, and communities can share resources more fairly… The goal is to solve environmental challenges, not shift them around,” Ndaruhutse said.

To listen to the whole discussion, tune in to the Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.

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