Ghana has climbed to fifth position in The Africa Report and Jeune Afrique’s 2026 ranking of Africa’s 25 top mining destinations, advancing five places from tenth position in 2024, driven by record gold prices and improved sector governance.
The ranking, published on Monday, February 3, highlights Ghana’s strong momentum in a sector undergoing major shifts including investor diversification, reshaped global supply chains, and rising expectations around transparency and regulatory stability.
Ghana’s ascent was fueled by record-high gold prices, which surged 65 percent in 2025, alongside improved sector governance including the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) in March 2025. The ranking also recognized new project developments in bauxite and lithium.
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Morocco maintained their dominance of the top four positions for the second consecutive year, supported by massive reserves of platinum, manganese, uranium, copper and cobalt, strategic infrastructure, and stable governance.
The 2026 edition revealed unprecedented dynamics combining exceptional geological potential with operational challenges. Ghana, Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire are surging ahead as the decade’s challengers, boosted by sky-high commodity prices and improved sector governance.
The ranking was based on five cross-referenced criteria including reserve volumes across thirteen major minerals, project momentum in critical metals, business environment and country risk, legal framework and governance, and energy and transport infrastructure.
Ghana remains Africa’s largest gold producer. The country’s gold production reached 4.8 million ounces in 2024, up from 4.0 million ounces in 2023. Gold accounts for approximately 40 percent of Ghana’s total export earnings and close to 90 percent of total mineral export revenue.
GoldBod, established under the Ghana Gold Board Act 2025, has become the sole legal aggregator, assayer and exporter of all gold produced by licensed artisanal and small-scale mining operators. Within the first four months of 2025, GoldBod officially purchased and exported 41.5 tonnes of artisanal and small-scale mining gold, valued at approximately four billion dollars.
Beyond gold, Ghana is diversifying its mining base. Ghana Bauxite Company Limited has set an ambitious target of producing six million tonnes of bauxite by the end of 2025, investing 122.97 million dollars in upgrading infrastructure and operational efficiencies.
The Ewoyaa lithium project, developed by Atlantic Lithium in partnership with Piedmont Lithium, is expected to become Ghana’s first lithium-producing mine. However, Parliament withdrew the mining lease agreement in December 2025 following criticism from civil society groups and policy think tanks over royalty concessions, with negotiations ongoing.
Julien Wagner, Director of Special Content, Partnerships and Media Diversification at Jeune Afrique Media Group, described the ranking as a strategic tool for investors, governments and institutions seeking to navigate a rapidly evolving African mining sector.
The full report is available on theafricareport.com. The ranking identifies opportunities beyond raw resources by factoring in stability, infrastructure and governance as decisive elements for viable projects over 15 to 30 years.
