UK Unveils Report On African Opportunities In Global Battery Supply Chain

The United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary, Hon. David Lammy, launched a report on the opportunities for Africa in the global battery value chain on Monday.

The report titled ‘From Minerals to Manufacturing: Africa’s Competitiveness in Global Battery Supply Chains’ was launched in Lagos.

The study conducted through the UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme in partnership with the UK’s flagship research organisation on batteries and energy storage, the Faraday Institution, revealed cost-competitive investment opportunities in the battery supply chain in Africa.

The Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer at the British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, Ndidiamaka Eze, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, said key findings in the report indicated that, with the suitable investment and policy environment, refining locally extracted lithium, nickel, manganese and copper in Africa could be up to 40% more competitive than the rest of the world by 2030.

It also showed that with just one high-quality refinery for each of these minerals, Africa could generate an additional USD 6.8 billion in annual revenues and create approximately 3,500 good-quality jobs operating in the battery supply chain.

“Beyond mineral refining, initial analysis suggests that countries like Tanzania and Morocco could produce cost-competitive batteries with Europe under certain conditions. For example, Morocco could achieve production costs of $72/kWh and Tanzania at $68/kWh, compared to $68/kWh in Europe, where production benefits from subsidies.

“The report also estimates battery demand, identifies additional opportunities in battery packs, battery assembly, and recycling, maps where companies operate in battery value chains across Africa, and provides recommendations for policymakers and investors on advancing these initiatives.

“This report follows the Foreign Secretary’s speech at Kew Gardens on 17th September 2024, where he announced his intention to work with partners to create a Global Clean Power Alliance. At the event in Lagos, the Foreign Secretary met with investors, development partners and companies in the clean energy sector, including UK smart-meter firm SteamaCo and UK e-waste firm Hinckley Recycling, with whom he assembled a second-life battery. Both firms are invested in Nigeria,” the statement read further.

The Director for Economic Development and Partnerships at the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Helen King, said the report showed that investors should seriously consider Africa’s potential as a future battery manufacturer, not just a buyer.

“The UK Government has a clear mission to support global growth, including people and the planet, and this sector presents real opportunities for African development and jobs.

“We look forward to engaging with policymakers and investors on taking forward the outcomes of this report and doing the hard work to realise the opportunity it represents,” she said.

The Managing Director of Nigeria’s Sovereign Investment Authority, Aminu Umar-Saqid, said that with Nigeria’s growing demand for electricity, bridging the gap between traditional energy infrastructure and renewable energy solutions, enhanced by energy storage, was as vital as localising the supply chain.

She said: “The NSIA, through its subsidiary – RIPLE – is piloting the development of an integrated battery manufacturing facility to bolster Nigeria’s industrial base and support the nation’s Energy Transition Plan.

“This report, sponsored by the FCDO under its Manufacturing Africa Programme, has been instrumental in calibrating our strategy, thus providing a solid base for developing our initiative.”

The CEO of the Faraday Institution, Professor Martin Freer, said that given the abundance of critical natural minerals in Africa, nations on the continent could play a significant role in the global battery supply chain if they overcome investment, infrastructure, and workforce challenges.

“The report contains a wealth of information and analysis on the subject that will be valuable to various stakeholders, including potential investors in projects in other parts of the battery value chain beyond mining,” Freer said.

Manufacturing Africa programme Nigeria Country Lead Kemi Onabanjo said the report showed that investment in battery manufacturing could create jobs and growth locally while driving down production costs and supporting global climate goals.

“Translating Africa’s abundance of critical mineral wealth into jobs and growth means African economies capture a more significant share of the manufacturing process once minerals are out of the ground.

“The UK-Aid funded Manufacturing Africa project does exactly this, and we have already mobilised £1.2bn in FDI for local manufacturing and created 95,000 jobs across the continent through similar support,”

Onabanjo added.