By benadeta mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, January 30 2026 - The United States government under President Donald Trump is stepping up efforts to establish a strategic presence in Kenya’s untapped critical minerals sector, a move largely aimed at countering China’s dominance of the global supply chains for key technology metals and strengthening U.S. access to resources vital for defence, high-tech manufacturing and clean energy industries.
The initiative will culminate this week in Nairobi as Kenya hosts the US-Kenya Critical Supply Chains Conference, an invitation-only forum designed to connect U.S. capital and expertise with Kenyan critical mineral reserves, including rare earth elements and niobium, minerals that are essential components in electric vehicle motors, renewable energy systems, aerospace technologies and national defence platforms.
At the centre of global interest is Mrima Hill in Kwale County, a forested area estimated to contain rare earth deposits and niobium resources worth tens of billions of dollars, according to industry figures. These minerals are crucial inputs for modern electronics, defence systems and the global energy transition.
Although precise figures vary, early estimates placed the value of the Mrima Hill deposits at around $62 billion, highlighting Kenya’s potential to become a major player in the global critical minerals market if the resources can be responsibly developed and resourced.
Recent developments point to U.S.-backed investment interest already emerging. A U.S.-backed consortium submitted a value-added development bid for Mrima Hill to the National Mining Corporation (Namico), proposing not just mining but also downstream processing, skills transfer, training and long-term job creation within Kenya, an approach designed to ensure broader economic benefits rather than simply exporting raw ores.
Washington’s push reflects a broader strategic competition with China over access to critical mineral resources, a competition rooted in global supply chain vulnerabilities. China has long dominated rare earth extraction and processing, providing upwards of 80 % of global supply for many key elements.
This dominance has made other industrialised economies acutely dependent on Chinese supply chains for materials essential in semiconductors, electric vehicles, renewable technologies and defence systems.
By courting Kenya’s mineral reserves, the Trump administration is attempting to diversify sources of supply and reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled value chains, a priority reiterated in recent U.S. strategic dialogues on Africa and global manufacturing partnerships.
Yet experts caution that securing critical minerals in Africa involves more than diplomatic symbolism. Africa’s mining landscape remains constrained by limited geological data, regulatory frameworks that are still evolving, and investor risk concerns.
For example, industry leaders note that Kenya lacks bankable, detailed geological data, a key barrier that has historically kept large mining investors at bay, despite clearly demonstrable resource potential.
For Nairobi, the U.S. engagement presents both opportunity and challenge:
More from Kenya
Investment and Infrastructure: A stronger U.S. presence could catalyse capital flows into exploration, mining infrastructure, processing facilities and downstream industries tied to critical minerals, supporting Kenya’s broader industrialisation goals.
Local Economic Benefits: Proposals emphasise value addition, skills transfer and employment creation, goals that align with Kenya’s own expectations that mining deals should benefit local communities and build domestic capacity.
Kenyan authorities have publicly stressed they seek “ethical, experienced and well-capitalised” partners to unlock rare earth potential in ways that respect social and environmental standards.
Regulatory and Environmental Oversight: As foreign interest accelerates, Kenya faces pressure to strengthen environmental regulation, benefit-sharing frameworks and benefit local stakeholders rather than allowing raw resource export with limited value capture.
The U.S. push into Kenya’s critical minerals sector is part of a wider Africa-wide strategic drive. Washington has used development finance mechanisms and consortium-building strategies, including through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and private sector partners, to facilitate investments in mining and value chains across the continent.
Africa holds roughly 30 % of the world’s critical mineral reserves, making the continent a key battleground in the global resource race. For countries like Kenya, which are rich in minerals but still developing governance, geological data and processing infrastructure, the arrival of global capital brings the twin imperatives of investment opportunity and the need for transparent, equitable resource management.
Broader Debate and Local Concerns
Not all stakeholders view the intensifying competition favourably. Civil society and local communities around mineral-rich sites like Mrima Hill have expressed concerns about environmental damage, land rights and equitable benefit sharing, underscoring the importance of sustainable and inclusive mining policies as global powers compete for access to critical resources.
