Will Africa Still Be the World’s Resource Giant in 50 Years? Experts Begin to Question

Africa has long been hailed as the world’s richest continent in terms of natural resources from vast oil reserves in Nigeria and Angola, to the cobalt and lithium fields of the Congo, to untapped agricultural potential across East and West Africa. But with increasing political instability, environmental degradation, and rising foreign control over local assets, a new question is emerging: Will Africa still hold this title in the next 50 years?

In a closed-door panel held recently in Addis Ababa, economists and environmental analysts warned that if the current trend continues, Africa risks becoming a continent rich in history but poor in future opportunities.

“The world is moving fast,” said Professor Kofi Yeboah, an economic strategist based in Ghana. “Countries are shifting to green energy, and the demand for rare earth minerals is spiking. But if African governments keep allowing foreign powers to extract without reinvesting locally, we’ll run out of both resources and time.”

A 2025 report by the African Continental Research Council, shared exclusively with Dobblog, outlines how over 65% of Africa’s high-value natural resources are now under foreign-owned operations, many of which repatriate profits while leaving environmental and social damage behind.

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Deforestation in Central Africa, illegal mining in West Africa, and oil spills in coastal regions have also raised alarms. Combined with weak enforcement of environmental laws, the damage could be long-term and irreversible.

However, not all hope is lost.

New partnerships in Rwanda, Kenya, and Namibia are beginning to prioritize local value chains. Some nations are starting to place stronger limits on raw exports and are investing in local processing plants. Still, these are small steps in what experts warn is a race against time.

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“Africa doesn’t lack resources,” said environmental journalist Ndidi Okafor. “What we lack is control, sustainability, and long-term thinking. If we don’t act now, we may wake up in 2075 with empty lands, polluted rivers, and no real share in the global economy.”

As global powers scramble for new energy sources and mineral supply chains, Africa is once again at the center of attention. But this time, the question isn’t just about what the continent can offer it’s about whether it will still have anything left to give.