Morocco is developing an open and integrated industrial model to promote responsible mining, improve traceability, and facilitate access to sustainable finance. The model aims to support greater value creation across the continent and strengthen Africa's ability to capture more value from its resources. According to Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali, Africa has exceptional geological potential, but the challenge lies in building an integrated and sustainable industrial ecosystem linked to global markets.
The third edition of the International Mining Congress Morocco 2026 brought together officials and industry leaders to discuss how the continent can retain more value from its mineral resources. Benali called for African countries to connect their complementary resources, processing capacities, energy, infrastructure, technology, skills, and financing. This cooperation could help build a stronger African industrial ecosystem and increase the continent's share of the value chains built around its resources.
Mohammed Cherrat, president of the Federation of the Mineral Industry of Morocco (FDIM), emphasized the growing role of critical and strategic minerals in the global economy. He said Africa holds considerable mineral wealth, but the challenge involves determining how to better develop those resources, expand industrial capacities, and create more value. A broader industrial approach is needed, covering exploration, processing, refining, energy, infrastructure, technology, skills, financing, subcontracting, and innovation.
The future of Africa's mineral industry does not stop at extraction, but also involves creating more integrated industrial chains. Cherrat said cooperation between Morocco and its African partners can build on the complementary nature of their economies, investment, skills sharing, and the construction of more integrated industrial chains. This approach could help Africa develop competitive hubs for processing critical and strategic minerals.
CGEM President Mehdi Tazi pointed to a challenge across Africa, where a large share of the continent's minerals still leave in raw or lightly processed form before companies refine the materials and integrate them into industrial products on other continents. Tazi stressed the importance of creating favorable conditions to attract more investment, develop local processing, and place Morocco's mining industry within more integrated and competitive African value chains.
Recent developments have strengthened Morocco's role in Africa's industrial and mineral value chains. In July, the African Development Bank approved a €100 million loan to Gotion Power Morocco for an integrated lithium iron phosphate battery gigafactory in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra free trade zone. The project aims to establish Africa's first integrated battery manufacturing plant, with an initial capacity of 10 gigawatt-hours and plans to reach 100 gigawatt-hours.
The African Development Bank's loan is part of a larger effort to support Morocco's industrial development. In June, AfDB consultations in Morocco on regional integration identified mining, green energy, and value-chain development among key sectors and pointed to Morocco's position as a hub linking North Africa, the Sahel, West Africa, and Europe. Morocco is well-positioned to play a leading role in Africa's industrial development and create more value from its mineral resources.
Key points
- Morocco promotes responsible mining and local processing to boost Africa's industrial value chains.
- The African Development Bank supports Morocco's industrial development with a €100 million loan for a lithium iron phosphate battery gigafactory.
- Morocco aims to create more integrated industrial chains and increase the continent's share of the value chains built around its resources.
