Map West Africa

Even though most West Africans are living in poverty, the area is rich in natural resources. These resources are controlled by a few individuals and corporations, many of which are foreign-owned. The average West African never sees the financial benefits of these industries.

These four natural resources make up most of West Africa’s economy:

Chocolate is made with fruit from the cocoa tree

Cocoa

Have you eaten a chocolate bar lately? Chances are it was made with cocoa from Cote d’Ivoire or Ghana, the two largest cocoa-producing countries in the world. Children are often exploited as workers in the cocoa industry. They are often beaten and sometimes work as slaves.

Gold

Gold is one of the most desired materials in the world. Mines are usually owned by foreign companies, so profits don’t go back to the countries where the mines are located. Workers in gold mines are paid poorly to do extremely dangerous work, but they have little choice because other jobs aren’t available.

West African Diamond mine

Diamonds

Have you ever seen a diamond? Probably. But have you ever stopped to wonder where it came from? The diamond trade in West Africa has caused many civil wars in countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone—children often work in diamond mines or have been forced to become soldiers as people fight for control of the mines. The region is now working together with the international community to see that diamonds are used for development instead of war.

Oil

Nigeria has a rich supply of oil, which has made the country the wealthiest in West Africa. Though oil production has been good for the companies that control the oil reserves, the people who work in the oil-producing areas are still very poor.