West Africa is to become the focus of a drive to set up a lithium battery and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing ecosystem on the continent.

Engineering News reports that the critical minerals will be sourced from the region, with refining and processing to be carried out by US-based ReElement Technologies and its Ghana subsidiary.

This follows the signing in Ghana of an MoU between ReElement and South African battery-cell manufacturer Afrivolt, formerly known as Aqora.

In terms of the agreement, both companies will collaborate with local education institutions to develop a local skills base.

The companies said the MoU was expected to result in ‘a comprehensive offtake agreement for ReElement Technologies to support the operation of African gigafactories’, while promoting ‘regional economic development, with nearly all minerals and raw materials sourced regionally from African mines, with a specific initial focus on Ghanaian critical minerals’.

30 January 2024
Image: Freepik