en.Wedoany.com Reported - From June 1 to 3, 2026, the 2026 SMM Africa Lithium Battery Summit was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech in Morocco. The summit focused on the strategic opportunities of Africa's lithium battery industry chain amid the global energy transition, with discussions centered on core topics such as critical minerals supply, material processing, gigafactory construction, energy storage applications, and green finance.
Africa, rich in key battery minerals including lithium, cobalt, graphite, and phosphate, has become a vital strategic hub in the global battery value chain. This summit aimed to establish an international and professional platform for exchange and cooperation, helping stakeholders seize opportunities in the African market and promote the scaling and localization of the local lithium battery industry.
On the first day of the summit, Huang Xiaopei, Head of SMM's Overseas Marketing New Energy Division, delivered an opening speech titled "Africa's Opportunities in the Global Lithium Battery Industry Landscape." Leila Sabri, Head of Powertrain and Mobility Systems at Stellantis, shared insights on "Morocco – A Strategic Gateway to the European and African Battery Value Chain." In the roundtable discussion "Gigafactory Proximity Layout – How Morocco Serves the Global Battery Market," moderated by Idriss Alami, Co-founder and Managing Partner of ALEXEC Consulting, participants included Mohamed Elkadragy, Battery and Energy Storage System Expert at Taqa Belarabi, and Fabrice Renard, Senior Advisor at AVICENNE Energy. The roundtable "Morocco Factory Construction Practices: From Planning to Operation Experience Sharing," also moderated by Idriss Alami, featured Zineb Zeryouhi, Deputy General Manager and CFO of COBCO; Ciprian Gabel (Lin Chipeng), International Business Director of Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd.; and Yang Pingzhou, General Manager of BTR Mediterranean New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
Han Ziyang, Marketing Director of Beichen Recycling, delivered a speech titled "Challenges and Strategies for Data and Carbon Footprint Management in Retired Lithium Battery Recycling." Wang Xue, Co-founder and COO of Suzhou Botree Cycling Technology Co., Ltd., in her presentation "Reshaping Battery Recycling: New Pathways to Secure Critical Materials," detailed lithium battery waste recycling technologies, including the NCM co-extraction PCAM process, selective lithium recovery from LFP, and a short-process lithium extraction method applicable to diverse black mass systems. She also mentioned that cathode direct regeneration technology has progressed from coin cell validation to pilot-scale electrode processing trials, with regenerated cathode electrochemical performance meeting standards. The roundtable "Midstream Processing – Localization Strategies for African Mining Companies: From Raw Material Export to Battery Material Manufacturing" was moderated by Yang Le, Senior Analyst at SMM Lithium Battery, with participation from Matthieu Bos, Chairman and CEO of FALCON; Idriss Alami; and Francois Fontaine, Head of MineSpans at McKinsey & Company.
Yann Vincent, former CEO of Automotive Cells Company (ACC), provided forecast data in his speech "The Rise of European Battery Manufacturing and Morocco's Catalytic Role": under a low-expectation scenario for the first half of 2026, the estimated demand for battery electric vehicle (BEV) batteries in Europe is 350 to 380 GWh by 2030 (with a penetration rate of approximately 35%), and 600 GWh by 2035 (with a penetration rate of approximately 50%). He also noted that European BEV sales grew 30% year-on-year in 2025, with strong growth in France, Spain, and Germany in early 2026. In France, electric vehicle sales rose 68% in March, achieving a 28.5% market share of passenger cars.
The roundtable "Securing Stable Supply of Lithium, Cobalt, Graphite, and Phosphate – Africa's Role and Challenges" was moderated by Tom Van Bellinghen, Founder and CEO of Lithink, with participants including Tom Drabble, Global Sustainability Manager at the International Lithium Association; Tom Benson, Director of Africa Lithium Battery; Toluwalase Seriki, Director of Ganfeng Lithium; and Eddy Kioni, Founder and CEO of Buenassa. Anouar Snoussi, Solution Architect at Schneider Electric, spoke on "Digital-Driven Optimization of Cathode Material and Precursor Battery Manufacturing." Vijay Chaudhry, CEO of Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd., introduced the application of next-generation dehumidification systems in achieving -70°C ultra-low dew points and energy efficiency optimization. Balbanuz Benavides, COO of Basquevolt, explored the evolving demand for critical raw materials in next-generation battery technologies.
On June 3, Yang Le, Senior Analyst at SMM Lithium Battery, delivered a speech titled "SMM Price Methodology – Establishing Transparent Price Benchmarks for African Battery Metals." Mohamed Elkadragy, Battery and Renewable Energy Storage Expert at Taqa Belarabi, analyzed the full value chain and industrial ecosystem from mines to gigafactories. Oussama Hafsi, General Manager of FEV North Africa, discussed new trends in the electric vehicle market and opportunities for the African supply chain. David Ortega, Managing Partner and Executive Director of Muvmi Mobility Consulting, spoke on Europe's reindustrialization strategy and electric vehicle market trends. Toluwalase Seriki, Director of Ganfeng Lithium (Africa), shared perspectives on Africa's power grid, energy storage, and stable electricity supply. Sonume Princewill Nnanna, Investment Expert at Africa Finance Corporation, discussed the financing risks and returns of African battery material projects. Othmane EZ-ZAHRAOUY, Manager of the Engineering Center at AVL, elaborated on the industrialization process toward a trustworthy battery ecosystem, using Morocco's practices as a case study.
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