Speakers
- Dr Theo Acheampong – Moderator, Head of Markets & Research, Critical Minerals Africa Group
- Matthew Venturas – Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, S-RM
- Ifigenia Gioka – Head of Corporate Development & M&A, BHP
- Katie Lennon – Head of Energy Transition Strategy, AXA
Session Overview
The discussion focused on how African governments and investors can balance mineral extraction, domestic value creation, and international trade, while embedding principles of transparency, sustainability, and risk management.
Participants examined how digital policy innovation, insurance integration, and evolving financing models are reshaping the continent's investment landscape. The session also highlighted the growing importance of aligning mineral strategies with Africa's industrialisation goals and energy transition commitments.
Key Themes and Insights
- Policy Evolution and Digital Governance
Africa's mining landscape is entering a phase of regulatory reform and digital transformation. Governments are modernising licensing systems, improving data transparency, and using technology to monitor resource flows — measures that reduce corruption risk and enhance investor confidence.
Such reforms are not only improving fiscal outcomes but also broadening participation across the value chain, creating a more inclusive and investable sector.
- Insurance as a Catalyst for Financing
Insurance is emerging as a strategic enabler of capital mobilisation across Africa's mineral economy. By transferring operational and credit risk away from lenders and sovereigns, insurance mechanisms can unlock new pools of institutional and private capital.
Incorporating insurance into early project structuring is becoming essential for attracting transition finance, particularly as investors demand stronger ESG assurance and risk governance. - Financing Junior and Mid-Tier Miners
Access to finance remains a defining challenge for Africa's smaller mining companies. Traditional banks often view the sector as high-risk, creating a gap between exploration and production.
Boutique capital structures and insurance-backed credit instruments are increasingly seen as viable solutions — tools that can empower local operators to develop critical resources such as lithium, rare earths, and gold while maintaining responsible environmental standards.
- Value Addition and Economic Sovereignty
A recurring theme was the need for Africa to capture greater value within its borders. This requires a shift from exporting raw minerals to developing refining, processing, and component manufacturing capacity on the continent.
Establishing energy-efficient beneficiation hubs and embedding traceability will be essential for accessing global supply chains and ensuring Africa's role in the green industrial transition.
Speculative Outlook
| Theme | Leverage Point | Strategic Outcome |
| Insurance integration | Transfer risk, attract credit | Unlock institutional investment |
| Digital mining governance | Transparency, efficiency | Higher investor confidence |
| Local beneficiation | Industrialisation | Retained value and skilled job creation |
Summary Reflection
Africa's next mineral revolution will not be defined solely by what lies underground, but by the systems built above it — the governance, financing, and infrastructure that enable sustainable extraction and equitable growth.
If risk is effectively managed and value strategically retained, Africa's critical minerals can underpin not just global supply chains, but a more autonomous and resilient continental economy.