Why Africa Holds the Key to Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Supply Chains with Lindokuhle Shongwe

Episode 192 with Lindokuhle Shongwe, Project Leader at BCG and co-author of Africa Unleashed: Harnessing Africa’s Critical Mineral Opportunity.Africa sits at the centre of the global energy transition. With vast reserves of cobalt, lithium, copper, platinum group metals and rare earths, the continent holds the minerals powering electric vehicles, clean energy, digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.In this episode, Lindokuhle Shongwe of BCG explains how Africa can turn its geological advantage into sovereign, sustainable and scalable growth. He unpacks the findings from the landmark BCG report Africa Unleashed, outlining why critical minerals matter, the continent’s leverage in the global mineral race, and the bold choices African leaders must make in this decisive decade.What We Discuss With LindokuhleWhat critical minerals are and why they are central to the 21st century global economyAfrica’s unique geological advantage in the global energy and industrial transitionHow the continent can move beyond raw mineral exports to industrial transformation and value chain developmentThree strategic levers to unlock Africa’s potential including investment, regional collaboration and global alliancesCase studies from Namibia, Morocco, Rwanda, the DRC and Zambia showcasing best practices in policy, ESG and innovationThe socio economic opportunity including jobs, skills, infrastructure and inclusive growth if Africa captures more value locallyVerto CornerIn this week’s Verto Corner, James Booth, Head of Revenue at Verto, explores Africa’s fast growing digital economy and the payment challenges holding it back. He explains how businesses such as marketplaces, SaaS platforms and exporters are losing margins to foreign exchange pressures and slow settlements, and why tackling these bottlenecks could unlock the next wave of growth. James also looks at how scalable models can be built in volatile markets and why reducing payout fragmentation is central to driving revenues across the continent.Access the Strategy HandbookDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss The Roads We Never Build: Rethinking Access to Infrastructure Finance in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Lindokuhle:LinkedIn -  Lindokuhle Shongwe and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:[email protected]