The Continent’s Critical Moment: Bridging the Gap from Resource Extraction to Value Sovereignty

Africa is home to 40% of the world’s known reserves of critical minerals, essential to powering the global energy transition. It also possesses an abundance of renewable energy resources - solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and thermal gas, which positions the continent to lead the world’s most sustainable path to net zero.

However, despite its immense resource wealth, the continent remains a net exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished products. Over 600 million people still lack access to electricity, and more than 60% live in poverty, with per capita income growth averaging just 1.1% annually (1). These numbers highlight a deep disconnect between the continent’s strategic importance in the global economy and its economic reality.

To unlock its full potential, the continent must move beyond raw material extraction and begin building the integrated value chains that are critical to industrial development. This means investing in local refining, processing, and clean energy infrastructure; creating jobs, generating revenue, and fostering long-term resilience.

The critical minerals found across Africa form the foundation of technologies such as electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, smartphones, and medical devices. Yet without adding value locally, the continent will remain on the margins of the very industries it enables. At Acorn & Partners, we work to bridge this gap by providing the data and analytics needed to inform timely and informed decisions for stakeholders across the mineral and renewable energy sectors. Our mission is to accelerate the transition from commodity dependence to industrial self-determination, supporting inclusive growth through local value addition.

One of the most persistent barriers is the lack of contextual, actionable market intelligence. Too often, investors, governments, and operators lack the insight needed to catalyse transformative investments. The cost of inaction is high. With deep expertise in data-driven insights, we equip decision-makers with the intelligence necessary to invest confidently in the continent’s mineral and energy sectors, fuelling economic advancement and industrial transformation.

The continent also faces what we call a “prejudice premium” - a misperception of risk that leads to inflated borrowing costs, even though African countries have some of the lowest sovereign default rates globally. Political risk insurance claims are rare, yet negative narratives persist. We are committed to using evidence-based storytelling to correct these perceptions, making it easier for catalytic capital to flow into the right projects and partners.

This is Africa’s critical moment. By focusing on intra-continental trade, local value creation, and renewable energy development, we can trigger a generational shift from resource extraction to industrial empowerment. But doing so requires more than natural wealth. It calls for coordinated action across industrial policy, infrastructure, finance,

and trade facilitation. The continent is not starting from zero. Its strengths are clear: a young, entrepreneurial population, vast renewable potential, accelerating digitisation, and some of the fastest-growing cities in the world. The question is no longer whether Africa will participate in the global energy transition, but how it will lead and shape it. At Acorn & Partners, we are proud to collaborate with public and private stakeholders to build the foundation for this future. Together, we can transform the continent’s resources into lasting value and ensure it defines its own role in the global transition.

References: 1. 2025 - Africa’s inner strength: Unlocking a more prosperous future