Ghana is set to completely stop exporting unprocessed minerals by 2030 as president John Dramani Mahama seeks to boost domestic investment, industrial production and revenues from natural resources.
The president-elect announced his plans on Monday, October 19, 2026, at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, explaining that mineral resources should serve to develop domestic industries, not be exported as primary products.
The proposed ban will cover bauxite, manganese, iron, lithium and other minerals, with mining companies being required to establish processing facilities as a condition for gaining access to mineral deposits.
The News Chronicle reports the proposed policy follows Ghana’s September 2026 decision to restrict unprocessed small-scale artisanal gold exports and existing limits on iron scrap and non ferrous metals exports.
At the same time Ghana is seeking to grow its domestic gold purchase program and revising royalty systems to boost its returns on mining.
Since July 2026 the government has been targeting 30% of gold output from large scale mining firms for purchase.
Under a new royalty regime gold producers will pay between 5-12% to the state, depending on international prices.
The initiative reflects a wider regional trend in Africa of building processing capacity to add value to mining output while creating jobs and reducing dependence on primary exports.
