Lithium in the Sahel – Armed Groups Exploitation

Why in news?

Lithium extraction and exploitation reported to fund armed group in Sahel region in Africa.

• Lithium is a critical mineral used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones and laptops.
• Rising demand is linked to the growth of electric vehicles and renewable-energy storage.

• The Sahel is a semi-arid belt stretching across Africa between the Sahara Desert and tropical savannas.
• Nigeria and Mali have promising lithium deposits, while exploration is expanding in Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

Lithium and insurgency

• Growing lithium extraction is becoming linked with insurgency, organised crime and cross-border smuggling due to weak governance.
• Groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP are reported to exploit weak oversight of lithium mining to generate revenue.
• Armed groups can tax miners, control mining sites, charge traders and transporters, and demand protection payments.
• Nigeria - Informal mining and weak regulation create opportunities for criminal groups.
• Mali - Armed groups involved in the gold economy are extending taxation and extortion to lithium regions.
• Burkina Faso – Jihadist groups exploit informal mining networks and tax extraction.
• Niger – Political instability and weakened border controls after the 2023 coup have increased smuggling risks.
• Chad – Weak governance and corruption facilitate illicit cross-border trade.
• Similar resource–conflict links have previously been seen with diamonds, gold and oil in Africa.
• Way forward –
  • Formalise artisanal mining,
  • strengthen mineral traceability
  • cross-border intelligence,
  • improve state control,
  • promote domestic lithium processing instead of exporting raw ore.

Reference

Down To Earth| Lithium in the Sahel – Armed Group Explotation