Burundi and Zambia: harnessing the transformative power of Africa’s high-demand critical minerals

With global demand for critical minerals surging, driven by energy transition and technology, and sub-Saharan Africa holding nearly 30% of global reserves (more than 50% in some cases), nations like Burundi and Zambia are in a unique position to transform their economic and social development if governments and local industry can adapt, say mining law experts Dr Ange Dorine Irakoze and Chilombo Malama.

“Burundi's mineral wealth sits at the heart of the global energy transition," says Dr Irakoze, Head of Mining Sector at Rubeya & Co Advocates, a DLA Piper Africa member firm. Her small, landlocked nation in East Africa holds an estimated 6% of the world's nickel reserves - approximately 285 million tons. The most significant deposits are at Musongati, which contains an estimated 180 million tons of laterite reserves, placing it among the ten largest undeveloped nickel deposits worldwide.

This nickel is essential for the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and store renewable energy. Beyond nickel, Burundi also holds substantial reserves of rare earth elements, niobium, tin, tungsten, and tantalum. 

“The rare earth elements are irreplaceable in wind turbine magnets and EV motors,” she notes. “Tantalum is critical for capacitors in solar inverters and energy storage systems. Niobium strengthens steel for wind turbines and energy infrastructure. This represents perhaps a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Burundi to transform its economic trajectory but only if handled strategically.”

Zambia is likewise blessed with a diverse array of mineral riches, notes Malama, Head of Mining at Chibesakunda & Company, also a DLA Piper Africa member firm.

“Global demand for critical minerals is likely to accelerate exploration, project financing and competition for high-quality assets in Zambia,” she says, “particularly in copper, cobalt, nickel, manganese, graphite, and lithium-adjacent opportunities.”

Foreign interest in Burundi and Zambia’s mineral wealth, alongside that of other African nations, will inevitably intensify in future. Demand for nickel alone is expected to triple by 2030. It’s vital, say Dr. Irakoze and Malama, for African nations to harness such transformative opportunities to benefit local industry and populations. 

Progress is already being made, and needs to continue. 

Zambia

In Zambia, the government established a Minerals Regulation Commission in late 2025 to centralise mining oversight. While copper remains the anchor commodity, says Malama, mining policy has broadened to a ‘copper-plus’ approach that prioritises critical minerals alongside copper. Beneficiation has also moved up the agenda. “Zambia continues to pursue a shift from a predominantly extraction-led model to one that supports refining and processing and downstream linkages.”

New local content regulations have also come into force; Malama notes that from 1 January mining companies must allocate at least 20% of their annual procurement budget to local companies supplying core mining goods and services, increasing progressively to at least 40% within five years. Procurement of non-core goods and services - e.g. food supplies, accommodation, camp management, haulage and waste management - must be exclusively reserved for local companies. 

Through such mechanisms, says Malama, African governments can increase domestic participation in mining-related economic activity, promote enterprise development, and “ensure that mining projects generate sustained commercial opportunities for local populations beyond direct employment at mine sites.”

Burundi

Burundi has likewise updated its laws and policies in recent years to retain more of the value generated by its own mineral wealth, “The mining legislation in Burundi demonstrates a systematic evolution from basic extraction sovereignty to a comprehensive regulatory framework mandating value addition, environmental stewardship, and equitable resource sharing,” says Dr. Irakoze. 

Major amendments to the Mining Code in 2023, after a two-year period of international mining operations being suspended in Burundi, will see the state take a larger shareholding (16%, with an increase of 5% for each renewal) in mining operations, mandatory processing of all minerals before export, mandatory local content plans, and prioritisation of employment of Burundians and subcontracting to local enterprises, except where required expertise is unavailable domestically. 

“When you use locals, you'll get more incentives,” says Dr Irakoze. “There is also a requirement that foreigners will have to teach or train locals so that locals will replace them in those activities.”

Given Burundi’s landlocked position and limited transport infrastructure, Dr Irakoze says massive infrastructure development is needed to fully benefit from the critical minerals boom. Strategic investments are needed in roads, rail to Tanzanian ports, reliable electricity supply, water infrastructure, and digital connectivity. 

Harnessing fast-evolving opportunities

Malama and her team support clients across the full mining and energy cycle, from market entry into Zambia, to project development, operations, financing, transactions, and dispute resolution, coordinating with the DLA Piper Africa network on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional deals, regional supply chains, and disputes. “In a market shaped by energy‑transition minerals, our focus is helping clients deploy capital with confidence while managing regulatory, ESG, and execution risk.”

In Burundi, Rubeya & Co likewise offers critical support to mining and energy clients, blending deep local knowledge with DLA Piper pan-African network, to offer “unmatched capabilities for navigating complex cross-border mining operations,” says Irakoze. “We help clients not just comply with Burundi's framework, but leverage it for competitive advantage, building sustainable operations that generate investor returns while contributing to national development.”