President John Dramani Mahama has announced a sweeping review of Ghana’s mining laws and regulatory frameworks, signaling a policy shift aimed at moving local companies from the margins of the industry into its core productive activities.
Addressing participants at the 2026 Mining Sector Local Content Summit at Palms by Eagle in Takoradi on February 18, the President said the reforms are designed to reposition Ghana’s mining sector as a driver of domestic industrialisation rather than an enclave dominated by foreign operators and imports.
According to him, the government’s goal is to see Ghanaian businesses transition from mainly supplying consumables and basic services to becoming manufacturers of mining equipment, developers of technology, and key partners in value creation.
The ongoing review, he explained, will assess existing legal provisions, regulatory obstacles, and incentive structures that currently limit the growth of indigenous mining-related enterprises.
“This government is reviewing and refining our mining legislation and regulatory frameworks to ensure that Ghanaian enterprises move up the mining value chain – from suppliers of consumables to manufacturers of critical components, and from service providers to innovators,” the President stated.
He added that the new policy direction will go beyond the traditional concept of local procurement, insisting that mining firms must invest directly in building Ghanaian capacity.
“We will incentivise mining companies to build local capacity and not simply purchase locally. Equity participation, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing should become standard practice and not the exception,” he said.
President Mahama noted that the reforms are part of a broader economic transformation strategy focused on strengthening value addition across key sectors such as mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.
He stressed that empowering local firms within the mining ecosystem would help Ghana retain a larger share of mineral revenues, create sustainable jobs, stimulate industrial growth, and build a stronger base of technical and engineering expertise.
The President concluded that without deliberate policy reforms, Ghana risks remaining a raw material exporter, even as its mineral resources continue to generate wealth for external economies.
