Seven checked facts on Africa's minerals, land, energy and people — with sources you can use in any talk.
Seven checked facts about Africa's opportunities. Each one comes with its source so you can use it with confidence.
- Critical minerals. Africa holds about 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves — cobalt, platinum, manganese, graphite, lithium and more. (African Development Bank forum, 2025)
- Minerals in detail. DR Congo holds about half the world's cobalt reserves; South Africa about 83% of platinum-group metal reserves. (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026)
- Value left in the ground. About $8.6 trillion of Africa's mineral wealth remains undeveloped, and most of what is mined leaves unprocessed. (African Development Bank)
- Land. Around 60% of the world's uncultivated arable land is in Africa.
- Youth. Africa is the youngest continent, with a median age of about 19. Europe's is about 43.
- Population. By 2050, close to 2.5 billion people — one in four people on Earth — will be African. (UN projections, via IMF 2023)
- Nigeria's gas. Nigeria has Africa's largest gas reserves: 210.5 trillion cubic feet in 2025, about ninth in the world, enough for over 90 years. Much of it was found while searching for oil, and some is still flared instead of used. (NUPRC 2025)
What these facts mean
Africa does not lack resources. It lacks peace, systems and processing at home. That is why our work begins with people, then turns to the soil.