Sierra Leone: Critical minerals, President Maada Bio calls for a fair deal between Africa and the world -

Recently in Johannesburg, the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, brought Africa’s voice to the G20 summit by proposing the creation of a « G20-Africa Compact » dedicated to critical minerals. His plea is based on a conviction: the continent can no longer be reduced to the role of a supplier of raw materials for the global energy transition.

Strategic minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper and rare earths, have become essential for batteries, electric vehicles and clean technologies. However, their extraction still too often benefits value chains organized abroad. Producing countries bear the social and environmental costs, while processing and profits largely elude the continent.

In front of the G20 leaders, Maada Bio therefore called for a pact based on equity, transparency and value creation in Africa. It is now necessary to process, refine and integrate the ore into African industrial activities. The president’s plan is in line with the spirit of the G20 framework on critical minerals, which emphasizes local processing, economic diversification and skills.

Such an agreement should ensure more transparent contracts, better distributed revenues and investments directed to African processing units. It could promote technology, youth training and the participation of mining communities. For Sierra Leone, this orientation represents an opportunity to strengthen the benefits of its mining sector and boost industries related to steel, energy and services.

Freetown’s advocacy goes beyond national interests. It raises the question of a new balance in economic relations between Africa and the great powers. The energy transition cannot be fair if it reproduces old extraction practices without industrialization or sufficient protection of workers and the environment.

By calling for a G20-Africa Compact, Maada Bio is defending a true sovereigntist vision. Africa must transform its wealth into jobs, skills and industries, so that its critical minerals become the foundation of sustainable development rather than a new source of dependence.