Critical minerals and metals are central in the global energy transition, advanced manufacturing, and digital transformation. The increasing demand for minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals highlights their strategic significance. However, the definition of the term “criticality” is not uniform across countries; somewhat, it is shaped by national economic and strategic priorities, supply chain vulnerabilities, and policy objectives.
This paper provides an overview of the diverse approaches to defining what criticality is in light of global trends. While critical minerals strategies are often associated with industrialized economies seeking to secure supply chains, resource-rich countries, including many in Africa, increasingly adopt critical minerals policies to maximize value creation, economic diversification, and industrial development.
Given the global nature of critical mineral supply chains, the report calls for greater international cooperation, particularly through platforms such as the G20. It emphasizes the need for fair and inclusive governance frameworks that balance security of supply concerns with Sustainable Development Goals. Strengthened partnerships between African and global actors can promote responsible sourcing, industrial growth, and technological innovation to ensure that the transition to a mineral-intensive future is equitable for all economies.
This report is a co-publication of the African Development Bank and the IGF.
