Ghana woos Chinese investors to end raw mineral exports, boost local processing

Ghana is seeking stronger investment partnerships with China to expand local mineral processing, introduce advanced mining technologies and create more economic value from its mineral resources.

Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Dr Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, appealed to the 2026 China (Guangxi)-ASEAN Mining Cooperation Conference in Nanning, where he outlined the government's plans to move the mining industry beyond the extraction and export of raw minerals.

He said Ghana's priority was to develop an industry that creates jobs, builds local expertise and retains a greater share of the economic benefits from its mineral wealth.

He cited President John Dramani Mahama's directive at the Mining in Motion Summit to end the export of raw minerals by 2030 as a key part of the country's value-addition agenda.

Dr Sulemana highlighted Ghana's deposits of gold, bauxite, iron ore, lithium, graphite and salt, noting that the country was already Africa's largest gold producer and the world's sixth-largest.

He said the country had the legal, regulatory and institutional structures to support investment, with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority providing geological data for exploration and the Minerals Commission overseeing the sector.

The Deputy Minister identified five areas in which Ghana could deepen cooperation with Chinese companies: geological data and mineral exploration, digital mining and artificial intelligence, mineral processing and value addition, skills and institutional development, and responsible mining practices.

He also called for collaboration in mine monitoring, environmental rehabilitation, pollution control and improved management of water resources and mining waste, stressing that technological advancement must go hand in hand with environmental protection.

“Ghana is open for business,” he declared, inviting Chinese investors to pursue partnerships that are commercially viable, environmentally responsible and capable of delivering long-term benefits to both countries.

Dr Sulemana urged companies and institutions attending the conference to engage directly with Ghanaian agencies and industry players, expressing confidence that China's technological and industrial expertise could complement Ghana's mineral resources and development priorities.

As part of the investment drive, the Deputy Minister also delivered the opening remarks at the Ghana National Mining Promotion Session, which was organised to present the country's mineral potential and investment opportunities across the mining value chain.

The session featured presentations by Ghana Geological Survey Authority Director-General Dr Prosper Akaba, Minerals Income Investment Fund Chief Executive Officer Justina Nelson and Minerals Commission Deputy Chief Executive responsible for Small-Scale and Industrial Mining, Maxwell Klu. They outlined Ghana's geological prospects, mineral development priorities and the institutional support available to prospective investors.

The engagements were intended to provide international investors with a clearer understanding of Ghana's mining sector and encourage business discussions and strategic partnerships to support the country's ambition of building a more technologically advanced, locally driven and value-added mining industry.