Zimbabwe suspended lithium exports in a bid to pressure firms to set up domestic processing facilities, sparking fears of supply chain disruptions and sending prices soaring. The move caused Chinese lithium futures to rise more than 9% on Thursday. Like other commodity-exporting African nations, Zimbabwe wants to capture more value across the supply chain, with at least 13 African countries imposing similar export restrictions since 2023. However, progress on setting up processing plants remains slow: The highly technical and capital-intensive requirements, as well as faltering intra-African integration, have hindered attempts to boost domestic upskilling, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies said.
