Fastmarkets and Africa Battery Initiative partner to boost East Africa's role in global battery supply chain

SHANGHAI, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fastmarkets and the Africa Battery Initiative have signed a landmark strategic partnership to drive the growth and development of the critical minerals, metals and battery raw materials sector in East Africa, reinforcing the region's central role in the global energy transition.

As part of this strategic partnership, Fastmarkets and Africa Battery Initiative will co-host the first ever East and Southern Africa Critical Minerals & Battery Raw Materials Conference in 2026, providing a dedicated platform for industry leaders, policymakers and investors to engage in discussions on sustainable mining, responsible sourcing and market development. 

Driving East Africa's position in the global battery supply chain 
Amid a surge in global demand for battery materials, East Africa is a key hub for lithium, graphite, cobalt and other critical minerals. This collaboration between Fastmarkets and Africa Battery Initiative aims to: 

• Elevate East Africa's role in the global critical minerals and battery supply chain 
• Attract investment and partnerships to support regional industrialization and market growth 
• Address sustainability and traceability challenges, ensuring ethical and transparent supply chains
• Enhance regional and international cooperation to unlock the full potential of East Africa's mineral resources 

As a global leader in commodity pricing and market intelligence and the organiser of the world's largest annual lithium and battery raw materials event, as well as must-attend regional events in Indonesia, South Korea, China and Europe, Fastmarkets will leverage its expertise to deliver a world-class conference in East Africa. This event will provide industry professionals with data-driven insights, strategic forecasting, and in-depth regulatory analysis. 

Both organisations recognize the importance of sustainable mining practices, regulatory frameworks and responsible sourcing in building a resilient critical minerals industry. By bringing together key stakeholders from across the value chain, this partnership will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the battery raw materials market in East Africa. 

The East Africa Critical Minerals & Battery Raw Materials Conference will provide a high-impact platform for industry collaboration, showcasing investment opportunities, technological advancements and policy developments that are shaping the future of battery supply chains. 

Raju Daswani, CEO of Fastmarkets, commented on the importance of the partnership announced at the Fastmarkets Battery Raw Materials Shanghai Conference: "As the global energy transition accelerates, securing a reliable and sustainable supply of battery raw materials has never been more crucial. This partnership with the African Battery Initiative aligns with Fastmarkets' mission to provide trusted market intelligence and foster strategic industry discussions. As such, we are excited to host this inaugural event in the region in partnership with the African Battery Initiative in 2026."

"East Africa has an immense opportunity to position itself as a major player in the battery materials supply chain. This collaboration with Fastmarkets will help drive investment, policy innovation and industry growth," Dr. Alawi Swabury, chair of the Africa Battery Initiative, added during the official signing of this partnership.

For more information, visit Fastmarkets.

Email media@fastmarkets.com to connect with the team and find out how Fastmarkets can help you.

ABOUT FASTMARKETS

Fastmarkets is an industry-leading PRA and information provider for the agriculture, forest products, metals, carbon and energy transition commodities' markets. Fastmarkets serves its customers with commodity benchmark prices and assessments, forecasts, analytics, insights, news and events. Its data is critical for customers seeking to understand and predict dynamic, sometimes opaque markets, enabling trading and risk management.

Fastmarkets is a global business with a history dating from 1865 and is built on trust and deep market expertise. It has more than 650 employees spread across several global locations including the UK, US, China, Singapore, Brazil, Bulgaria, Belgium, Ukraine and Finland.

Fastmarkets is a privately held UK-registered company owned by its shareholders and Astorg, a European private equity firm.

ABOUT AFRICA BATTERY INITIATIVE

The Africa Battery Initiative was established in 2020 by the African Diasporas from Tanzania, The DRC, Burundi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, living in Germany, Norway and UK. The Africa Battery Initiative is part of Climate, Energy and Environment Development Foundation (CEEDF) registered in Zanzibar Tanzania.

COOPERATION BETWEEN EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC) AND AFRICA BATTERY INITIATIVE (ABI)

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization of seven Partner States: The Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The EAC is one of the fastest-growing regional economic blocks in the world. It is also the sole region on our planet that is endowed with an abundance of critical minerals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, manganese and rare earths.

For more information, please visit ABI – Africa Battery Initiative.

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SOURCE Fastmarkets