\n Moscow has pursued deals in resource-rich regions to safeguard access amid global competition.\n <\/p>\n
\n Since 2023, rising commodity volatility, fiscal pressures, and a broader push toward resource nationalism have accelerated African regulatory interventions.\n <\/p>\n
\n Zimbabwe\u2019s mines minister Winston Chitando has said exporting raw minerals is \u201cexporting jobs,\u201d a sentiment increasingly echoed across multiple capitals.\n <\/p>\n
Active export bans<\/p>\n
\n Some governments have opted for outright bans on unprocessed mineral exports.<\/a> Zimbabwe remains the most prominent example, enforcing a ban on raw lithium exports and compelling mining companies to invest in local processing plants.\n <\/p>\n \n In 2025, authorities also indicated that chrome ore exports could face restrictions as part of the same beneficiation strategy. \u201cWe are no longer interested in being mere suppliers of raw materials,\u201d Chitando said during a mining conference, arguing that local processing is essential for long-term growth.\n <\/p>\n \n Malawi imposed a temporary ban on all unprocessed mineral exports as it reviews its mining framework, with officials saying the pause is intended to reset the sector in favour of domestic value addition.\n <\/p>\n \n The Democratic Republic of Congo, which dominates global cobalt supply, has periodically suspended cobalt exports to manage oversupply <\/a>and reinforce its leverage in battery mineral markets. Congolese officials have described the measures as necessary to \u201cdefend national interests\u201d in a sector critical to the energy transition.\n <\/p>\n Regulatory controls<\/p>\n \n Elsewhere, governments are relying less on blanket bans and more on regulatory tools that can still halt exports in practice.\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n