Africa’s Battery Value Chain Advances As DRC Approves Musompo Precursor Zone

Africa has taken another step towards building a domestic battery value chain after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approved the Musompo Special Economic Zone in Lualaba province.

Approved by the council of ministers in February, the 900-hectare zone is designed to produce nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) precursor powders used in battery cathodes. The project is expected to cost more than $200 million and targets about $2 billion in private investment, with projections of 25,000 direct and 60,000 indirect jobs.

Construction began in March 2025 under then-Industry Minister Louis Watum Kabamba.

Zimbabwe Builds Lithium Processing Capacity

Zimbabwe has already moved further down the lithium processing chain.

The country banned exports of unprocessed lithium ore in 2022 and suspended exports of raw minerals and lithium concentrates in February 2026. Conditions for resuming exports include commitments to establish lithium sulphate plants, with a 10% export tax remaining on concentrates until the January 2027 ban.

Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, owned by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, has completed a $400 million lithium sulphate plant at Arcadia. Sinomine’s $500 million Bikita facility and Yahua’s Kamativi plant remain under construction.

However, Africa has yet to establish commercial-scale cathode and battery-cell production, where much of the value in the battery chain is generated.

DRC And Zambia Seek Regional Battery Value Chain

The DRC and Zambia have been working since 2023 on a joint precursor plant, initially targeting around 100,000 tonnes a year of NMC 622 material.

The proposed facility has been described as a potential test of Africa’s ability to develop cross-border mineral value chains. However, disagreements over its location and coordination challenges have slowed progress.

Arise IIP CEO Romain Deniel has noted that establishing such a special economic zone requires coordination across multiple government ministries.

In February, DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka met with the Congolese Battery Council and the International Trade Centre to discuss technical support and access to international markets.

Competition From China

The DRC has significant advantages for battery manufacturing, including its vast cobalt resources and abundant hydropower potential. The African Development Bank estimates that the country holds 51% of global cobalt reserves and sees potential for low-emissions production of precursor materials and batteries.

However, African projects face intense competition from established Chinese producers.

BloombergNEF reported that lithium-ion battery pack prices fell to $108 per kilowatt-hour in December 2025, down from $139 in 2023. New African facilities will therefore enter a market where large-scale Chinese production has already pushed costs lower.

Innovation Supports Battery Ambitions

Africa’s battery ambitions are also receiving support from research and innovation initiatives.

Universities, research institutions and innovation hubs from across the continent are expected to gather in Accra on August 25–26 for the AfroHackathon at the Future of Energy Conference.

The initiative will focus on the lithium-ion battery value chain and the African Green Minerals Strategy, connecting innovators with industry partners to help move technologies from prototypes towards commercialisation.

The Musompo project, Zimbabwe’s lithium-processing investments and regional cooperation between the DRC and Zambia point to growing efforts to retain more value from Africa’s critical minerals. The major challenge will be moving beyond precursor production to the higher-value cathode and cell stages.