Aiteo, Africa’s largest integrated energy firm, led by pan-African billionaire Benedict Peters, has formed a groundbreaking relationship with The Atlantic Council’s Africa Center to alter Africa’s role in the global essential minerals supply chain.
The breakthrough agreement paves the way for a three-year program aimed at tapping Africa’s vast supplies of vital minerals, which are required by industries ranging from electric vehicles to military equipment.
The program begins with a specialized task group of 12 members from the United States, Europe, and Africa, representing various sectors such as finance, development, and government. The inaugural meeting was held during Africa’s premier mining event, the Mining Indaba, and served as a platform for collaboration and strategic planning.
The task group will have regular meetings in Washington, D.C., to address the role of African minerals in essential supply chains, techniques to increase African participation, and strategies for effective private sector engagement.
Aiteo, led by Benedict Peters, a prominent role among Africa’s wealthiest persons, highlights its dedication to raising awareness of the growing need for resources in African markets.
The company promotes investing in local value chains, with a particular emphasis on job development and value addition in the continent’s expanding industry. The task force, which is supported by Aiteo, aims to propose investment plans for bridging supply chain gaps and to advocate solutions based on proven policy and investment approaches.
The program aims to provide policy direction to international investors as they navigate Africa’s complex commercial landscape. Policies, regulations, incentives, property rights, local processing, value chains, regional collaboration, innovation, and technological frameworks are among the topics under consideration. The extensive scope includes policy research and strategic analysis to help make educated decisions in the crucial minerals sector.
Rama Yade, senior director of The Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, expressed support for the effort, adding, “Africa plays an important role in the world economy’s supply of key minerals. We are eager to bring together policymakers and key players at the highest levels to formulate a plan for Africa’s crucial industry.”
Aiteo, created by African millionaire Benedict Peters, is Africa’s largest privately held integrated energy corporation, having activities throughout West and Southern Africa. Its sibling firm, Bravura Holdings, Africa’s largest privately held vertically integrated mining company, is aggressively producing important minerals such as lithium and uranium in several African countries.
As a leading African billionaire and energy entrepreneur, Peters has made an unmistakable imprint on the continent’s corporate landscape, cementing his status as one of Africa’s wealthiest individuals.
In addition to his successful business operations, Peters is a renowned philanthropist on the continent, with an emphasis on rural community development, improving school access, and advocating for appropriate water management.
