Deep-Sea Mining as a New Resource Trap: Implications for Africa's Blue Economy and Sovereignty

Abstract

The global transition to a low-carbon economy has catalyzed a surging demand for critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are essential for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies. In response, deep-sea mining (DSM) has emerged as a new frontier for mineral extraction, promising to unlock vast, untapped resources. For the African continent, a region rich in both terrestrial mineral deposits and extensive maritime zones, DSM presents a strategic, yet profoundly complex, challenge. This report argues that while DSM offers potential economic benefits, including new revenue streams and job creation, these opportunities are significantly outweighed by substantial financial, environmental, and geopolitical risks. The development of this nascent sector threatens to destabilize Africa's vital land-based mining economies and marine fisheries while perpetuating a model of resource exploitation that offers minimal financial returns to sponsoring states. A passive or poorly regulated approach would lead to a net negative outcome for the continent. The analysis concludes that the only viable path forward for African nations is a unified, proactive, and well-regulated engagement, as demonstrated by the strategic stance of the African Group at the International Seabed Authority (ISA).