The global rush for critical minerals essential to the clean energy transition is exposing deep governance gaps in mineral-rich nations. In Ghana, emerging lithium mining projects are facing increasing risks as local communities raise concerns over weak consultation, exclusion from decision-making and inadequate compensation. Experts warn that unless governments and companies prioritise meaningful community engagement, supply chains critical to renewable energy technologies could face serious disruption.
The demand for minerals such as lithium, cobalt and manganese has surged as countries accelerate their transition away from fossil fuels. More than 65 per cent of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while nearly 40 per cent of global manganese production comes from South Africa. Zimbabwe holds substantial lithium deposits, and Ghana is now positioning itself as an emerging lithium producer.
Yet discussions about mineral supply chains often focus only on three key actors: mining companies, host governments and global geopolitical forces. According to Clement Sefa-Nyarko, a lecturer in Security, Development and Leadership in Africa at King’s College London, there is a fourth and crucial stakeholder that is frequently overlooked local communities.
Weak Governance and Exclusion Fuel Tensions
Research examining Ghana’s lithium sector highlights how weak and opaque governance structures can create early friction between communities, companies and the state. Delays in regulatory processes, limited transparency and exclusion from negotiations over land access and compensation have already begun affecting livelihoods in lithium-rich areas.
Communities experiencing land restrictions or environmental impacts without clear consultation often perceive mining activities as imposed rather than negotiated. This perception fuels resentment, protests and legal challenges. When grievances accumulate, projects can face costly shutdowns and operational delays, directly affecting global supply chains that depend on stable mineral flows.
The concept of a “social licence to operate” community approval that allows projects to proceed has emerged as central to risk management. Without social legitimacy, mining ventures face heightened instability regardless of technological capability or diplomatic agreements.
Participation as a Risk-Management Tool
Sefa-Nyarko argues that community participation is not merely a symbolic exercise but a practical risk-management strategy. When communities are involved early and meaningfully in decisions about water use, land access, environmental safeguards and benefit-sharing, trust is built and uncertainty is reduced.
Free, prior and informed consent, transparent compensation mechanisms and sustained engagement are identified as essential foundations for long-term stability. Studies in sustainable mining consistently show that communities are active agents whose cooperation or resistance can determine the success or failure of mining operations.
Where engagement is weak, perceptions of dispossession intensify. Conversely, consistent dialogue and shared governance arrangements help address concerns before they escalate into conflict. In an interconnected global economy, even a single protest can disrupt international mineral supply chains.
As global competition intensifies over strategic minerals, governance frameworks in mineral-producing countries are coming under scrutiny. Sefa-Nyarko calls for international forums, including future UN climate summits, to formally integrate discussions on critical minerals, sustainable mining and community protections into their agendas.
He also recommends developing shared global indicators to measure meaningful participation and benefit-sharing. Treating social licence as a material risk factor, rather than an abstract ideal, could help prevent supply disruptions.
Governments and companies, he suggests, should establish shared governance arrangements that clearly define water use, land access, grievance mechanisms and benefit-sharing structures. Aligning on minimum environmental and social standards across mineral-rich countries would also prevent weak oversight and exploitation.
As Ghana expands its role in lithium production, the country stands at a crossroads. The path it chooses whether prioritising rapid extraction or embedding community legitimacy at the heart of governance could determine not only local stability but also the resilience of global supply chains powering the world’s energy transition.
This article is based on research by Clement Sefa-Nyarko and was originally published by The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence.