MeTL Group for Tanzania dey develop graphite projects for Africa to increase local value addition. Di company CEO, Mohammed Dewji, tok dis for im keynote address for Standard Bank Africa Unlocked 2026 conference for Cape Town.
Graphite na critical mineral wey dem dey use for electric vehicles, battery storage, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. But di real value no dey for mining alone, na for processing am, so im tok.
“Within di next year, we expect to commission a processing plant wey fit produce about 50,000 tonnes of graphite every year at around 95% purity,” na so Dewji yarn. Dis go happen while Africa dey supply global markets.
Dis come as African Development Bank dey tok say Africa don become important part of global graphite supply chain. Di continent get about 24% of world known natural graphite reserves, wey dey position am as key alternative to China market dominance.
Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania host di continent largest graphite projects, while plenty oda African countries dey advance exploration. MeTL wey get head office for Dar es Salaam dey operate across 11 African countries for agriculture, manufacturing, trading, logistics and financial services. Di company dey generate annual revenue wey pass $2 billion.
Dewji tok say Africa don dey export raw materials and import finished products for too long. “Every time we export raw commodities without processing dem, we also export jobs, skills, technology, and economic value. Today, di world dey pay renewed attention to Africa critical minerals. Some don call am new scramble for African resources. Dis time, Africa must write different story,” im yarn.
Africa Unlocked wey dey for im third year dey explore practical actions wey need to accelerate trade, investment and sustainable economic growth across di continent. Di conference wey Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking dey host bring together more than 140 business leaders, policymakers, investors and entrepreneurs from across Africa and key global markets. Dis year event dey hold under di theme “Built in Africa: Amplifying Continental Growth,” wey dey focus on di growing role of African businesses, capital and innovation for shaping di continent next phase of development.
