Africa mining sector at centre of disinformation campaigns: report

A report from London-based Refute finds coordinated disinformation campaigns targeted Africa’s critical-minerals sector and achieved outsized market influence by amplifying narratives tied to regulatory actions, conflicts and commodity moves. The study identified 2,778 bot accounts responsible for more than 22 million engagements and reaching nearly 300 million users across six countries. Bot activity closely tracked real-world triggers — a 114% spike in Mali after the junta revoked exploration permits in October 2025 and a 417% jump in early 2026 as Barrick restarted production at Loulo-Gounkoto — with gold-related narratives drawing the highest activity. Refute warns these influence campaigns raise operational and reputational risks for miners and can contribute to commodity price volatility, underscoring the need for advanced monitoring to detect targeted, fast-moving disinformation.