President Mahama Announces Ghana Will End Export Of Raw Mineral Ores By 2030

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana will formally halt the export of unprocessed mineral ores by 2030 to promote local value addition and industrialisation.

According to a report published by Graphic Online on October 22, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the time has come for Africa to chart a different course towards its economic transformation by moving away from being exporters of raw materials and consumers of finished products. We must bring part of that processing and value addition into Africa to create jobs for our young people, he said. Speaking in London yesterday at the Financial Times Africa Summit, he said Ghana had targeted to stop raw ore exports by 2030. Seventy per cent of gold is now refined locally, and government is expanding the downstream jewellery industry, he told the summit. He said a policy requiring at least 50 per cent of cocoa beans to be processed locally had also been introduced, and that in the bauxite-aluminium chain, he had identified an alumina refinery as the missing link, and invited investors. You cannot have prosperity in the midst of poverty. That itself is a danger to investments, the President stated.

According to a report published by The Straits Times on October 21, 2026, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama said on Wednesday he was not concerned about Russian security assistance in the Sahel and that anyone committed to fighting terrorism is welcome in the region. My opinion on this is that anybody who is committed to the fight against terrorism is welcome, Mahama said at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London. Mahama also said that Ghana is aiming to ban exports of raw materials by 2030 in order to increase value added from critical minerals, specifically citing lithium, manganese, bauxite and gold. He said 70 percent of Ghana’s gold is currently being refined in Ghana before export, and said he was sure that soon we refine 100 percent of gold. On cocoa, Mahama said he aiming to process at least 50 percent of cocoa beans locally, with only 50 percent of any year’s production available for exports. That should bring some of the processing home and create jobs for people, he said.

According to a report published by Presidency.gov.gh on October 22, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana will formally halt the export of unprocessed mineral resources by 2030, marking a decisive shift towards resource-driven industrialisation, local value addition, and national economic sovereignty. Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2nd Edition of the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, President Mahama outlined a phased implementation roadmap to ensure the nation’s mineral wealth directly catalyses domestic manufacturing, infrastructure expansion, and job creation. We have already imposed a ban on the export of iron scrap and non-ferrous metals. I have set a clear goal that by 2030 raw minerals must no longer leave our shores, President Mahama declared. Our bauxites, manganese, iron, lithium, and other minerals must support processes and industrial development here at home.

According to a report published by Business Tech Africa on October 23, 2026, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has told the Financial Times Africa Summit in London that Ghana will formally halt the export of unprocessed mineral ores by 2030 and process at least 50 percent of its cocoa beans locally. Speaking at the summit, Mahama said Africa must move from raw commodity exports to domestic processing and manufacturing to create jobs and reduce reliance on foreign aid. Mahama noted that Ghana had already lost about $154 million a year in official development assistance, including $74 million for healthcare, and framed the shortfall as a reason to build sovereign industrial capacity and attract private capital instead of seeking more grants.

This report is based on verified publications by Graphic Online on October 22, 2026, The Straits Times on October 21, 2026, Presidency.gov.gh on October 22, 2026, and Business Tech Africa on October 23, 2026.

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