President John Dramani Mahama says Ghana will phase out exports of unprocessed mineral ores by 2030 to promote local processing and retain more economic value from the country’s mineral resources. He said the government would introduce a phased prohibition on raw mineral exports covering resources such as bauxite, manganese, iron and lithium to support domestic industrialisation.

Speaking at the Mining in Motion Conference on Monday, October 19, 2026, President Mahama said the plan would be supported by the necessary legal measures, mineral-specific requirements and clear implementation timelines.

He stressed that Ghana must move beyond extracting and exporting minerals in raw form to processing them locally and using them to drive industrial development.

“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.

President Mahama added that investors seeking access to Ghana’s mineral resources must meet clearly defined processing obligations as part of the government’s push to increase domestic value addition.

“We will pursue a phased prohibition on exports of unprocessed ores, supported by the necessary legal measures, mineral-specific requirements, and transparent implementation timetables.

“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 proposed measures aim to strengthen local processing capacity, support industrial growth, and ensure Ghana retains a greater share of the economic benefits from its mineral wealth.

Alongside the push to end raw mineral exports, President Mahama said Ghana is strengthening local gold assaying, refining, and related services to retain more economic benefits from its gold resources.

He said the initiative, pursued through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the country’s gold refining policy, aims to expand domestic participation in the gold value chain instead of relying largely on extracting and exporting raw minerals.

“Through the Ghana Gold Board and our gold refining policy, we are working to retain more value through assaying, refining, and related services,” he said.

The policy is expected to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to test and refine gold locally, creating opportunities for businesses and professionals in the mining and mineral processing sectors.