Resource nationalism is rising across Africa, reshaping the mining landscape and challenging the dominance of foreign companies. The trend is particularly pronounced in West Africa, where governments are leveraging their natural resources as tools of sovereignty and economic independence. Arrests of mining executives, heightened regulatory barriers, and demands for increased profit redistribution have become common. However, these patterns are not unique to Africa. Similar dynamics can be observed in Belarus and Russia since 2000s, particularly in the potash fertilizer sector, where political maneuvering and economic control converge, revealing mining’s status as a deeply political, strategic industry that perhaps is replacing oil dependency with critical minerals.
Throughout the world, countries with strategic minerals have engaged different tactics, but in search of a similar political outcome: sovereignty in mines of all sorts.
West Africa: intimidation, arrests, and sovereignty in the mining sector
From Mali to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), African governments are increasingly asserting control over their mining sectors. Such countries as Mali have detained Western mining executives and extracted hefty settlements under accusations of unfair profit distribution. The Canadian-based Barrick Gold was forced to pay $85 million following such a standoff. These tactics that target primarily Western companies and investors reflect Africa’s determination to ensure local communities and governments benefit from their mineral wealth.
Notably absent from this high-pressure dynamic are Chinese firms, which often escape such scrutiny. Analyss speculate that African governments may fear retaliation from China, a key economic partner and lender. However, this does not mean Chinese companies operate without challenge. The DRC, for example, has intensified efforts to combat illegal mining by Chinese entities, as highlighted by the landmark conviction of three Chinese nationals for unauthorized gold mining in January 2025. The defendants were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $600,000, a ruling heralded as “educational” by the prosecution.
This case illustrates the broader fight against illegal mining, which has plagued regions like South Kivu. In 2021, the DRC suspended six Chinese mining companies for operating without proper authorization, while in July 2024, South Kivu halted all mining activities to combat illegal operations harming the environment and encroaching on protected areas. Despite these efforts, Chinese firms remain deeply entrenched in the region, with the Congolese government actively renegotiating contracts, such as a $6.2 billion mining agreement signed in 2008, to secure better terms.
Belarus and Russia: arrests, forced mergers and politics in the potash sector
A parallel story has unfolded in Eastern Europe. In Belarus, the government has consistently clashed with Russian mining interests over profit distribution, especially in the potash fertilizer industry, a sector where the two countries collectively control 30% of the global market. The recent arrest of Russian executives linked to companies like Uralkali and Uralkhim, two of the largest potash producers in the world, reflects how mining disputes often stem from political rivalries disguised as economic grievances.
The tension dates to the early 2000s, when Belarusian authorities began resisting Russian attempts to merge potash assets. In 2013, the arrest of and criminal proceedings against Russian Uralkali’s CEO in Belarus highlighted the deep political nature of these disputes. Ostensibly, the issues revolved around tax evasion and profit-sharing, but the underlying motive was Belarus’ effort to maintain its economic independence amid pressures from Moscow.
The pattern has continued in recent years. In 2024, Belarus arrested top executives linked to Uralkhim over alleged unfair profit-sharing practices. These actions coincide with Belarus’ attempt to play a larger role in global geopolitics, including engaging with China, and navigating sanctions and a possible ceasefire tied to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As with Africa, the arrests and disputes highlight the political stakes in mining.
A common thread: mining as sovereignty and geopolitics
Despite their geographical and cultural differences, the nationalist tendencies in Africa and Belarus share a common thread: the assertion of sovereignty through resource control. In both cases, governments are using mining as a means to reclaim economic agency and renegotiate their place in the global order.
The methods do not seem to differ a lot. African nations, grappling with the legacies of colonialism and foreign exploitation, have adopted an assertive approach, including arrests, immediate payments in cash and renegotiations of shares and profit distribution. While Belarus, part of the former Russian Empire, leverages its position within Russia-dominated post-Soviet space to resist economic subordination and preserve a vital share of national income in a state dominated economy.
These trends in Africa and Eastern Europe highlight the geopolitical nature of mining. Critical minerals and fertilizers are no longer mere commodities; they are tools of diplomacy, bargaining chips in geopolitical rivalries, and symbols of national identity. As countries like China and the U.S. intensify their competition for resources, governments in resource-rich regions are seizing the opportunity to assert control and demand fairer terms.
The challenge for these resource-rich nations lies in striking a balance. Excessive nationalism could deter investment, while too much foreign control risks perpetuating inequalities. The ongoing disputes in Africa and Belarus thus serve as a reminder that the redistribution of mining profits is not just an economic issue, but a profoundly political one, with implications that extend far beyond borders — economic inequalities, supply chain security, the pace of the energy transition, and stability of diplomatic and political relation between countries involved in this seemingly pure economic activity.
This story was written by Viktoriya Zakrevskaya.
