Civil society organizations, policymakers, and technical experts from across West Africa have issued urgent calls for regional governments to overhaul how critical minerals are extracted and governed, warning that current practices perpetuate inequality while threatening environmental stability.
The High-Level West Africa Conference on Equity in Extraction concluded in Accra on October 16, 2025, with participants adopting a comprehensive communiqué addressing inequalities in natural resource governance. The three-day event at Alisa Hotel brought together researchers, community leaders, labor representatives, and activists to tackle mounting concerns over cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, and rare earth element extraction.
Organized by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) in partnership with IDEAs and Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission, the conference produced eleven specific demands directed at the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and member governments. Ford Foundation provided support for the gathering, which marked the second annual convening focused on extraction equity issues.
Conference participants emphasized that rising global demand for minerals essential to low-carbon technologies creates both opportunity and risk for West African states. The communiqué notes that long-standing governance inequalities have produced uneven economic benefits, weakened environmental protections, exacerbated conflict and poverty, and eroded community trust.
Representatives called for ECOWAS and the AU to develop a West Africa Minerals and Critical Elements Governance Framework within twelve months. The proposed framework would harmonize baseline standards for environmental and social impact assessments, licensing procedures, monitoring systems, revenue transparency, and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) formalization. Final adoption is expected within twenty-four months.
The communiqué demands that member states update national mineral strategies to integrate climate mitigation planning, establish clear value-addition targets for refining and manufacturing, and define equitable fiscal regimes. Transparent revenue sharing between national governments and host communities featured prominently among priorities, alongside stabilization mechanisms to manage price volatility.
Participants emphasized the principle of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for affected communities, including the right to refuse mining projects. The document calls for legally enforceable community benefits agreements and accessible, independent grievance mechanisms at national and regional levels. A defined share of extractive revenues should flow to locally managed development funds focused on health, education, livelihood diversification, and climate resilience.
Environmental protection measures received substantial attention. The communiqué mandates robust environmental and social impact assessments covering cumulative and transboundary effects before licensing occurs. Companies must provide performance bonds, progressive rehabilitation plans, and biodiversity-sensitive project siting. License terms should include requirements for energy efficiency, low-carbon operations, water stewardship, and climate-risk mitigation.
The conference addressed challenges facing artisanal and small-scale miners through calls for inclusive formalization programs. Proposed measures include simplified licensing, improved access to finance and technical assistance, health and safety standards, and market mechanisms linking responsible ASM operations to upstream supply chains. Gender-responsive programming should support women participating in artisanal mining activities.
Participants urged acceleration of regional traceability and chain-of-custody initiatives for critical minerals to curb illicit trade. All member states should commit to enhanced extractive sector disclosure, including publication of contracts, revenues, and environmental monitoring data. Countries were encouraged to join or strengthen implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Local content policies emerged as another priority area. The communiqué calls for realistic, time-bound requirements accompanied by capacity building, vocational training, technology transfer incentives, and public procurement linkages to stimulate local value chains. Gender equality and youth employment targets should integrate across policies and projects, including quotas for training, employment, and entrepreneurship support for marginalized groups.
Conference participants proposed establishing a West Africa Steering Committee on Equitable Mineral Governance comprising representatives from the AU, ECOWAS, member states, communities, civil society organizations, industry, and technical partners. The committee would oversee regional implementation, coordinate technical working groups, and mobilize resources. An annual progress report would be submitted to the ECOWAS Commission and AU Commission and made publicly available.
The communiqué calls for independent multi-stakeholder monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track compliance, socioeconomic outcomes, environmental impacts, and grievance resolution. A regional open-data portal should provide access to information on extractive sector licensing, revenues, environmental monitoring, benefit-sharing, and workforce development.
Capacity building recommendations include establishing regional Centers of Excellence and technical assistance programs supporting geological data management, contract negotiation, tax and royalty administration, environmental monitoring, and local supply chain development. Participants urged promotion of South-South cooperation and partnerships with universities, research institutions, and industry for technology transfer and workforce development.
The conference invited the African Development Bank, regional development finance institutions, climate funds, and donor partners to scale concessional financing, risk guarantees, and blended finance supporting local processing facilities, environmental remediation, ASM formalization, and community development projects. Private sector actors and investors should adopt mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence consistent with international best practices.
Dr. Esther Ofei-Aboagye from ISODEC, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), and representatives from organizations across Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other West African nations endorsed the communiqué. The document emphasizes that how the region governs its critical mineral resources will determine not only economic trajectories but also West Africa’s contribution to a just global energy transition.
Participants stated that vulnerable populations must not face further marginalization in pursuit of renewable energy goals. Instead, investment should focus on resilient, green economies serving both people and planet. The communiqué stresses that robust institutional frameworks for open governance remain critical to curb corruption, prevent misuse of revenues, and reinforce socioeconomic justice.
The conference communiqué has been transmitted to the AU, ECOWAS Commission, and member state governments for immediate action. Development partners, international financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations received invitations to support the regional path through finance, technology, capacity building, and market access conditioned on adherence to outlined principles.
