Africa eyes 7 million tonnes of alumina by 2030 through new refineries

Ships leave Guinea's ports every day loaded with bauxite destined for refineries thousands of miles away, while only a fraction of that ore is ever transformed at home. This contrast captures the essence of Africa's aluminum story - a sector - rich in resources, steady in operations, yet still waiting for its value chain to come together.

Over the past five years, Africa's alumina capacity has remained unchanged at 0.65 million tonnes, while production has followed a clear cycle of decline and recovery. Output eased from 0.439 million tonnes in 2020 to 0.414 million tonnes in 2021, reflecting a 5.7 per cent year-on-year decline. The downturn