Across Africa, billions of dollars’ worth of minerals lie beneath the soil,  yet in many cases, governments lack a full understanding of the resources they hold.

Speaking on Channel Africa, researchers compared Ghana and Rwanda’s approaches to mapping and managing their mineral wealth, revealing stark differences shaped by politics, policy, and long-term planning.

Speaking to Tsepiso Makwetla, Dr Gerald Arhin, a Research Fellow in the Political Economy of Climate Compatible Development at University College London and co-author of the study, explained how governance choices can determine whether mineral resources become a foundation for sustainable development or a source of missed opportunity.