Six African countries now support calls for a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining, as concerns grow over the environmental and economic risks of extracting critical minerals from the ocean floor, particularly while vast mineral reserves on the continent remain unexplored.
•Six African countries now support a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining due to environmental and economic concerns.
•Mauritius, Mozambique, and the Republic of the Congo joined Malawi, Kenya, and Madagascar in calling for a pause during the 2026 International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting.
•While Africa is increasing its influence in ISA negotiations, major economies like South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and the DRC have not joined the precautionary bloc, weighing environmental risks against economic opportunities.
•The debate over deep-sea mining is part of a broader global competition for critical minerals needed for green technologies, with differing stances among major economies worldwide.
Amid a growing global push to explore the ocean for critical minerals, Mauritius, Mozambique and the Republic of the Congo announced support for a precautionary pause during the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, in July 2026.
They joined Malawi, Kenya and Madagascar, bringing the number of African countries backing a pause to six and strengthening the continent’s position in ISA negotiations, where African states hold 10 of the 36 Council seats.
Globally, about 40 countries have formally called for a moratorium or precautionary pause, according to the ISA, although campaign groups using broader definitions put the figure higher.
The growing African bloc gives the continent a stronger voice in an industry that could unlock new supplies of critical minerals for electric vehicles, renewable energy and defence, while potentially weakening Africa’s advantage as a major source of land-based minerals.
Africa expands its precautionary camp
Malawi became the first African country to back a precautionary pause in May 2026, followed by Kenya and Madagascar in June, and Mauritius, Mozambique and the Republic of the Congo in July.
Mauritius, Africa’s richest country by GDP per capita, said its sustainable development depends on a healthy and resilient ocean.
It also argued that decisions on seabed mining should be guided by the best available scientific evidence and the precautionary approach.
Supporters of the pause say scientists still lack enough information about the long-term impact of mining ecosystems thousands of metres below the ocean surface.
Deep-sea mining mainly targets deposits such as polymetallic nodules, which contain nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper.
However, commercial mining has not yet started in the international seabed under the ISA regime, although the authority currently has exploration contracts with 22 contractors covering polymetallic nodules, sulphides and cobalt-rich crusts.
Major economies take different positions
Meanwhile, the debate has divided some of the world’s major economies, with France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada backing a moratorium, precautionary pause or tighter restrictions on deep-sea mining.
In contrast, the United States has moved to accelerate deep-sea mineral development, including plans to open areas around American Samoa for exploration.
China is also expanding its seabed exploration and recently completed a major Pacific expedition that collected mineral-rich nodules and tested new deep-ocean technology.
Similarly, India is seeking additional exploration licences as it looks to secure critical minerals for its energy transition and reduce reliance on imports.
Africa faces a strategic choice
For Africa, however, the debate carries a broader economic dimension, as most major mining economies remain focused on vast mineral deposits on land rather than commercial exploitation of the international deep seabed.
Much of the continent’s mineral wealth also remains untapped, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which holds some of the world’s largest reserves of critical minerals.
As a result, the DRC, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe continue to depend heavily on terrestrial mining for export earnings, investment and government revenue.
Future seabed production of cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper could therefore introduce new competition for minerals that several African economies already produce on land.
Yet some of Africa’s biggest economies, including South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and the DRC, have so far stopped short of joining the precautionary-pause bloc.
While their absence does not necessarily signal support for immediate commercial mining, it highlights the policy choices facing African governments as they weigh environmental risks against access to new sources of critical minerals.
At the same time, South Africa and Nigeria have taken part in discussions and capacity-building programmes on deep-seabed resources, indicating that both countries are keeping their options open.
Business Insider Africa
