PUBLICATION

Global Business Reports

AUTHORS

Catherine Howe, Imara Salas, Meredith Veit, Laura Brangwin, Eduardo Arcos, Pavlina Pavlova

THE OFFICIAL MINING IN AFRICA COUNTRY INVESTMENT GUIDE (MACIG) 2017

February 03, 2017

Countries across the continent face common challenges and increasing competition for a diminished pool of global investment and, although some governments are increasing incentives in response, others are tipping the scale too far towards the interests of the country. In an industry already high in risk, factors such as the vast progress in infrastructure and increasing political stability, as well as a more stable legislative framework in many countries, are widely improving investor confidence.

There is a sense of optimism, particularly in younger mining jurisdictions with newly recognized potential. West African countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso exude particular enthusiasm, with a number of promising exploration activities underway, overshadowing more mature jurisdictions such as Ghana and Mali in terms of interest. Southern Africa’s mining sectors have perhaps been most affected by the downturn, and there are many challenges to be solved going forward. Meanwhile, in East Africa, Kenya’s relatively nascent sector presents itself as the rising star, whilst Tanzania’s much more mature sector is becoming a less favorable investment destination due to its drive to increase return from the mining sector and the seemingly rash decision-making of the new government.

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MACIG 2025 - Mining in Africa Country Investment Guide

It is said that mining is a patient industry. Current demand projections are not. Demand for minerals deemed ‘critical’ is set to increase almost fourfold by 2030, according to the UN. Demand for nickel, cobalt and lithium is predicted to double, triple and rise ten-fold, respectively, between 2022 and 2050. The world will need to mine more copper between 2018 and 2050 than it has mined throughout history. 2050 is also the deadline to curb emissions before reaching a point of ‘no return.’ The pace of mineral demand and the consequences of not meeting it force the industry to act fast and take more risks. Mining cannot afford to be a patient industry anymore. The scramble for supply drives miners back to geological credentials, and therefore to places like the African Central Copperbelt.

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MACIG

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