President John Dramani Mahama has outlined plans to progressively halt the export of unprocessed mineral ores by 2030, seeking to make domestic processing a central part of Ghana’s mining industry.
Addressing the Mining in Motion Conference on Monday, 19th October 2026, he said minerals including bauxite, manganese, iron and lithium should underpin industrial development within Ghana.
“I’ve set a clear goal that by 2030, raw mineral ores should no longer leave our shores. Our bauxite, manganese, iron, lithium, and other minerals must support processing and industrial development here at home,” he said.
The President explained that the restrictions would be introduced in stages, backed by legislation, requirements tailored to individual minerals and publicly stated implementation schedules.
“We will pursue a phased prohibition on exports of unprocessed ores, supported by the necessary legal measures, mineral-specific requirements, and transparent implementation timetables,” he stated.
Under the proposed approach, investors accessing Ghana’s mineral deposits would face defined obligations to process the resources locally.
President Mahama also pointed to existing export restrictions as part of the government’s efforts to increase domestic value addition.
“We have already imposed a ban on the export of iron scrap and non-ferrous metals. Investors must understand the processing obligations associated with access to our resources,” he added.
The policy aims to shift Ghana away from reliance on raw mineral exports towards an industry that processes more of its resources domestically, supports industrial expansion and retains a larger share of mineral revenues within the economy.
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