Resource wealth, regional neglect and fragile peace: Rethinking the political economy of Africa's resource frontiers

Abstract

Abstract Motivation Across Africa, many resource frontier regions remain sites of political instability and various forms of conflict despite their significant contributions to national economies. The existing literature on resource conflicts has largely focused on the national “resource curse,” paying insufficient attention to how extractive economies perpetuate regional inequalities, regional discontent, and fragile peace in resource‐producing regions. This gap motivates a closer examination of the political and developmental marginalization of Africa's resource frontiers and the consequent effects. Purpose The purpose of this article is to examine why resource‐rich frontier regions in Africa often continue to experience social unrest and conflict. It analyses the understudied links between extractive resources, regional neglect, and conflict in Africa. Approach and methods The article employed a qualitative research approach, drawing data from semi‐structured interviews with experts and a systematic literature review. The article focused on four case studies selected based on data availability and relevance to the wider African continent. Findings The results showed ongoing developmental and political neglect of resource frontiers from the national politico‐economic aspects, inequitable revenue sharing from the extracted resources, all of which are worsened by environmental damage, health risks, and social impacts in these areas. These conditions, combined with exclusive resource governance and elite patronage, create a fertile ground for deep‐rooted local and regional discontent that is likely to escalate into social unrest, violent conflict, and sometimes separatist demands. Policy implications To tackle the persistent challenges exhibited in resource frontiers, equitable benefit‐sharing mechanisms need to be institutionalized to ensure a fair distribution of resource revenues; institutional capacity needs to be strengthened to effectively manage the extraction industry; policies need to be formulated that prioritize regular environmental impact assessment, enforce compliance with standards, and ensure adequate compensation; and there is also a need for inclusive governance, in which local communities are involved in decision‐making. Furthermore, adopting conflict‐sensitive development strategies and ensuring transparency in state‐corporate relations and contracts are essential.