Africa produces critical resources and food but still faces rising hunger and poverty. This long-read explains the structural reasons behind this paradox and who benefits from the continent’s wealth.
Africa remains the world’s most poverty and famine-affected region despite holding some of the planet’s richest natural resources. The continent produces oil, gas, gold, cobalt, copper, diamonds, uranium, and fertile land, yet hunger and extreme poverty continue to rise. According to the United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 report, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to over 60 percent of the world’s extremely poor people and nearly half of all chronically undernourished individuals globally. Hunger has risen steadily in Africa since 2015, even as it has declined in Asia and Latin America. Projections indicate that by 2030, nearly six out of ten chronically hungry people worldwide will live in Africa.
This situation is not due to a lack of resources or potential. Modern African economies are largely shaped by colonial extraction patterns. Railways, ports, and roads were designed to export raw materials rather than build integrated domestic markets. At independence, most countries inherited economies dependent on one or two primary exports, limiting local value addition and industrial growth. Foreign multinational corporations dominate resource extraction. UNCTAD data indicates that over 70 percent of Africa’s mineral exports are controlled by foreign firms under long-term concession agreements. These companies extract raw materials such as cobalt, gold, and uranium and export them for processing abroad, capturing most of the profits outside Africa. For example, the Democratic Republic of Congo produces over 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, yet local populations see little economic benefit. Armed groups, political elites, and multinational corporations capture most of the resource rents, while communities bear environmental and social costs.
Agricultural value chains follow a similar pattern. West Africa supplies over 60 percent of the world’s cocoa, yet cocoa farmers earn only a fraction of global chocolate profits. Coffee from Ethiopia and Uganda is exported for processing abroad, and oil from Nigeria is refined overseas before returning as fuel. Limited local value addition results in fewer jobs, reduced skills transfer, and minimal economic growth in local communities. For further insights, see Global Poverty and Inflation Report.
Domestic political structures amplify resource mismanagement. In many countries, political elites control resource flows, relying on rents rather than taxation, which weakens public accountability. Resource-based political economies prioritize control over development. Political alignment with foreign powers often trades access to resources for security, loans, or diplomatic support, prioritizing regime survival over citizen welfare.
Conflict exacerbates hunger and poverty. The Sahel, including Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, experiences chronic food insecurity. Over 45 million people in the Sahel faced acute hunger in 2024. In the Horn of Africa, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya suffered consecutive failed rainy seasons between 2021 and 2023, leaving millions without crops or livestock. Emergency aid saves lives but does not address structural weaknesses. Related analysis can be found in Middle East and Global Involvement.
Central Africa demonstrates extreme resource wealth alongside widespread hunger. The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic are resource-rich yet food insecure. Over 25 million Congolese faced acute hunger in 2024. Armed groups exploit minerals, foreign companies extract resources, and weak states cannot convert wealth into food security or infrastructure. Related insights are discussed in Thailand-Cambodia Dispute Analysis.
Southern Africa faces repeated food crises due to climate and economic vulnerability. Countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia suffered El Niño-induced droughts in 2023–2024, cutting maize production by more than 50 percent in some regions. Inflation and currency instability make food unaffordable even when available. West Africa’s coastal economies reveal how global value chains fail local communities, with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana supplying most of the world’s cocoa but farmers earning minimal returns. Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, faces over 26 million people in acute food insecurity.
Sudan and South Sudan exemplify how resource exploitation can fuel famine. Oil revenues have financed conflict and elite capture. In South Sudan, over 65 percent of the population faces crisis-level hunger. Debt compounds the challenge, with Africa’s external debt exceeding one trillion dollars in 2024, often using resource revenues as collateral. Illicit financial flows drain over $80 billion annually, exceeding total foreign aid, further limiting investment in food systems.
Climate change magnifies these challenges. Africa contributes minimally to global emissions but suffers severe droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. With only a small portion of farmland irrigated, rainfall variability directly reduces yields. Rapid population growth and urbanization place additional strain on food systems, making access and affordability critical issues.
UN reports emphasize that hunger in Africa is not inevitable. Countries that invest resource revenues into agriculture, education, health, and infrastructure reduce poverty and improve food security. Where governance is weak and extraction profits are concentrated among elites, famine persists. Africa’s paradox is not a lack of wealth but how wealth is managed and distributed. Real change requires transparency in resource contracts, fair trade, investment in climate-resilient agriculture, and strengthening local value addition.
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