Côte d’Ivoire: Abidjan and San Pedro Emerge as the New Logistics Hubs for Malian Lithium

Côte d’Ivoire is rapidly establishing itself as a strategic hub for West Africa’s mining trade. Its two main ports Abidjan and San Pedro now stand at the center of the export chain for Malian lithium, a critical mineral driving the global energy transition.

In October, Mali officially launched exports of its first lithium concentrates from the Bougouni project, developed by the British firm Kodal Minerals. According to a statement released on October 20, the first trucks carrying around 30,000 tons of spodumene concentrate left the Bougouni mine in southern Mali, heading to San Pedro Port in Côte d’Ivoire.

The journey, expected to take between four and six weeks, involves 50-ton haul trucks. Kodal Minerals plans to ship a total of 45,000 tons to San Pedro to ensure continuous export operations. The first commercial revenues are expected once the cargo reaches Hainan Port in China, under the company’s partnership with Hainan Mining, a subsidiary of Fosun International.

“This first shipment marks a major milestone for the Bougouni project. With our processing plant fully operational and efficient logistics in place to San Pedro, we can now move into regular export operations,” said Bernard Aylward, CEO of Kodal Minerals.

The choice of San Pedro Port is far from random. Since the inauguration of its Industrial and Multipurpose Terminal (TIPSP) in 2022 a €173 million investment the facility has become one of the most modern port infrastructures in West Africa. Designed to handle various mineral exports, including manganese, bauxite, and lithium, the TIPSP connects directly to corridors from Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, providing a competitive and efficient alternative to Dakar (Senegal) and Tema (Ghana).

At the same time, Abidjan Port has also begun facilitating lithium exports from Mali. Ganfeng Lithium, a Chinese company overseeing the Goulamina project, has selected Abidjan as its export base. The firm has signed a port services agreement with SEA-Invest, the Belgian operator of Abidjan’s mineral terminal, which was recently expanded to meet growing industry demand. Since May 2025, the first shipments from Goulamina have been passing through Abidjan, marking another step forward in Ivorian-Malian economic cooperation.

A New Era for Mali’s Lithium Value Chain

The rise of Malian lithium, supported by Côte d’Ivoire’s modernized port infrastructure, reflects the geoeconomic transformation of West Africa’s mining sector around critical minerals. By investing in port modernization, efficient transport corridors, and reliable customs systems, Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself as the logistical backbone of Africa’s emerging lithium trade.

With two major Atlantic gateways Abidjan and San Pedro Côte d’Ivoire is no longer just a transit country. It has become the logistics heart of a rapidly evolving regional mining economy, powering Africa’s role in the global energy transition.