Beneath the Surface: Addressing Information Challenges in Africa’s Critical Mineral Sector

As demand for critical minerals accelerates globally, questions of transparency around human rights and environmental safeguards in supply chains have never been more urgent. Who has access to information about where minerals come from, how are they extracted, and at what cost to local communities? From government revenue reporting to community engagement processes, significant gaps in available information can obscure the true impacts of mining while hindering the capacity of communities, advocates, and policymakers to respond. This webinar will interrogate the information environment surrounding critical mineral supply chains, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa: What is visible, what remains hidden, and how different actors work to uncover and use accurate, actionable data. The conversation will examine how open-source information, community-led data gathering, and investigative techniques are being used to drive accountability, what communities on the ground need to engage meaningfully with policymakers, and how greater transparency can make supply chains more just and resilient.