The West African continent is rich in bauxite and natural gas resources, and for a long time, the local resource advantages have been difficult to fully transform into industrial advantages. The leading domestic new energy company, Xiexin Group, is targeting this opportunity and embarking on a new exploration of green electricity empowering the non-ferrous metal industry. The project is currently in the preliminary negotiation stage and has not yet signed a formal agreement. The site selection and supporting plan have not been finalized yet. This also leaves a window of opportunity for upstream and downstream enterprises in the domestic aluminum industry chain to connect in advance. With the mature engineering and equipment strength in China, a new industrial path of green electricity and overseas resources is brewing and taking shape.

Excellent resource endowment

Nigeria has abundant bauxite resources, considerable natural gas reserves, and both raw materials and energy conditions, which are suitable for the development needs of the electrolytic aluminum industry. Electrolytic aluminum belongs to a high energy consuming industry, and the cost of electricity directly determines the competitiveness of the project. GCL Group holds a large amount of photovoltaic green power resources and has laid out overseas electrolytic aluminum, which can create a closed loop from green power to aluminum. At the same time, strict control over domestic electrolytic aluminum production capacity has made overseas layout an important choice for enterprises to expand their incremental space.

There are many industrial opportunities

GCL Group lacks experience in operating and constructing electrolytic aluminum factories, and the project will rely on domestic non-ferrous design institutes and engineering teams for implementation. The industry predicts that the project is likely to use domestically mature 500kA or 600kA large electrolytic cells. After the confirmation of the subsequent general contractor, materials such as aluminum oxide anode coke for electrolytic cell rectification equipment will be tendered one after another. Domestic equipment and material suppliers can contact the design institute in advance to strive for inclusion in the candidate list and seize the opportunity of orders.

Overseas risk storage

There are many challenges in the implementation of projects in West Africa, and local regulations, labor policies, cross-border logistics, and foreign exchange settlement need to be properly addressed. The project has a large investment amount and a long construction period, with many variables from negotiation and approval to production. There is a possibility of scheme adjustment or even termination of negotiations. Relevant enterprises should make rational judgments and not blindly invest. The trend of domestic green aluminum going global is already significant, and the combination of Chinese technology and overseas resources will continue to bring new opportunities for industrial cooperation between China and Africa. Keywords: Nigeria electrolytic aluminum, green aluminum, non-ferrous industry chain

The domestic new energy and non-ferrous industries are joining hands to go global, and are restructuring the global electrolytic aluminum industry pattern. The project of GCL Group is a landmark attempt for green power enterprises to cross the non-ferrous track. It is not only a strategic choice for the enterprise to extend its own industrial chain, but also a vivid practice of complementary cooperation between China and Africa's resources and industries. All parties in the industrial chain need to balance opportunities and risks, conduct local research, steadily participate in overseas project construction, and find their own positioning in the global low-carbon industry wave.Editor/Li Xiaohua