A Strategic Evaluation of Battery Industry Development in the DRC-Zambia Region and Beyond

Master Thesis (2025)
Author(s)

L.A. Boender (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)

Contributor(s)

Linda Kamp – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Energy and Industry)

G.O. Ndubuisi – Mentor (TU Delft - Economics of Technology and Innovation)

Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
15-07-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
['Complex Systems Engineering and Management (CoSEM)']
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
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Abstract

This thesis investigates the feasibility of battery industry development in the DRC-Zambia region by identifying enabling conditions across global cases. Using a PESTLE framework, it synthesises political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors that shape battery manufacturing success. A comparative analysis shows Zambia holds significantly stronger enabling conditions than the DRC, though both face key challenges. To address this, the study proposes a regional strategy of functional specialisation across the DRC, Zambia, and South Africa, supported by targeted interventions based on the Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) framework. The findings contribute both a replicable benchmark for assessing battery industry feasibility and a policy-oriented design strategy tailored to the Central-Southern African context.

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