Ghana will require all major minerals to be processed domestically by 2030 in a sweeping industrial policy shift aimed at retaining more economic value from its natural resources, President John Dramani Mahama announced on Saturday.
Speaking at the Accra Reset high-level convening held on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Mahama said the country would end the long-standing practice of exporting raw minerals without local value addition.
The announcement positions Ghana among a growing group of African economies seeking to transform extractive industries into engines of industrialisation, as leaders gathered at the Accra Reset called for stronger economic sovereignty and implementation-driven reforms across the continent.
Mahama told delegates that Ghana’s future economic strategy would prioritise domestic processing across its mining sector.
‘By 2030, there are not going to be any raw minerals leaving Ghana,’ he said. ‘You are not going to ship manganese, bauxite or iron ore out of Ghana raw. All must be processed locally.’
The president argued that exporting unprocessed resources limits job creation and prevents African economies from capturing higher-value segments of global supply chains.
Ghana is one of Africa’s leading producers of gold, manganese and bauxite, yet much of the downstream processing historically occurs outside the continent. Officials say beneficiation could significantly expand manufacturing activity, technology transfer and export earnings.
Mahama framed mineral processing not merely as a mining policy but as a broader economic transformation strategy designed to diversify growth and strengthen domestic industry.
Processing minerals locally, he said, would create industrial ecosystems capable of supporting engineering services, logistics networks and skilled employment opportunities.
Youth employment pressures
The president linked the policy directly to demographic realities facing African governments, noting that young populations increasingly demand visible economic progress.
‘That is the only way we can provide opportunities for our young people,’ Mahama said, warning that insufficient job creation contributes to migration pressures as young Africans seek opportunities abroad.
He added that accelerated industrial development could help reduce dangerous migration routes across the Sahara and Mediterranean.
Part of the Accra Reset agenda
Mahama’s remarks formed part of wider discussions under the Accra Reset initiative, which aims to align finance, trade, technology and industrial policy around African-led development priorities.
Participants emphasised urgency in moving from declarations to implementation, with Mahama urging countries ready to act to form what he described as a ‘coalition of the willing’ capable of advancing reforms quickly while others join later.
Across Africa, governments are increasingly reassessing extractive-sector models amid rising global demand for critical minerals essential for digital technologies and the energy transition.
Analysts say Ghana’s 2030 processing deadline provides one of the clearest timelines yet for mineral beneficiation on the continent, potentially positioning the country as a regional hub for value-added mineral production.
Mahama concluded by stressing that Africa’s economic advancement should be viewed as mutually beneficial globally.
‘Africa’s prosperity is not a threat to anybody,’ he said. ‘It will consolidate world prosperity.’
