EP 4: We have the bauxite: Why don't we have the power to smelt it?

Synopsis

Aluminum is omnipresent, from beverage cans to the cars we drive. It is also at the heart of the global green energy transition, serving as a key input for clean technologies. But while aluminum powers this transition, producing it is incredibly energy-intensive.

In this episode of The Africa Hour, we explore the critical role of energy in transforming minerals into high-value goods. Turning bauxite into aluminum requires refining and smelting processes that are famously power-hungry.

In West Africa, Guinea is a global bauxite powerhouse, holding the world’s largest reserves. Despite this dominance, Guinea remains a raw commodity exporter. In neighboring Ghana, a country with more modest reserves, a coordinated national effort is underway to build a fully integrated aluminum value chain.

While energy infrastructure remains a bottleneck across Africa, the bauxite sector offers a glimpse of what is possible. In this episode, we look at where early signs of this industrial momentum are taking shape.

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Guests

Dr. Edem Amegashie-Duvon is the Commercial and Trading Director at the state-backed Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), driving the development of a globally competitive integrated aluminum industry. An expert in international trade and commodities, he previously spent over two decades in leadership roles with the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Cocoa Marketing Company, including serving as Deputy Managing Director and London Manager. Today, he leverages this deep expertise to elevate Ghana’s strategic mineral value chains and maximize local economic impact.

Sekinat Ojeniyi is a strategic communications and advocacy professional and Senior Consultant at Africa Practice. She advises Development Finance Institutions, philanthropic foundations, and financial services organizations on reputation management, stakeholder engagement, and narrative development across Africa. Passionate about economic transformation, Sekinat focuses her work on shaping vital conversations around infrastructure, energy access, regional integration, trade, and investment. Ultimately, she aims to drive inclusive growth, support sustainable development, and improve outcomes for the continent's most underserved populations.

Charles Ofori is the policy lead for Climate Change and Energy Transition at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP). He spearheads research and advocacy across the extractive and power sectors, focusing on critical minerals, methane emissions, the solar PV value chain, and clean cooking. His extensive project expertise spans natural gas dynamics, local labor absorption, and gender-responsive budgeting in mining communities. Charles’ primary research interests revolve around risk mitigation and investment decisions for utility and small-scale renewable energy technologies across Africa.

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