Ghana: Mahama wants an end to raw mineral exports by 2030 and one in every two cocoa beans processed locally

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama stated on October 21, 2026, at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London, that he intends to end the export of raw materials from his country by 2030, reports RFI. Two days earlier, in Accra, he delivered the same message at the second edition of the Mining in Motion summit, which focused on aligning African countries with the future of their minerals.

The target is specific: bauxite, manganese, iron, and lithium must be processed on Ghanaian soil before any sale abroad. "Raw minerals must no longer leave our shores," the head of state declared, according to Citi News. A first step has already been taken: Ghana has for several months banned the export of scrap metal and non-ferrous metals.

Gold and cocoa under the same logic

As the continent's leading gold producer, Ghana intends to develop refining within its territory rather than shipping the metal away to gain value elsewhere. Regarding cocoa, Mahama has set a numerical target: to process at least one in every two beans locally, compared to the current 30 to 40 percent, according to RFI. The sector is going through a serious financial crisis, and processing is being presented as part of the solution.

Laws, deadlines, and shares for Ghanaian companies

In a statement released on October 22, 2026, the Ghanaian presidency clarified the method: phased schedules, targeted legislation, and benchmarks set for each raw material. In return, the state promises infrastructure, training, and financing to support the processing obligations imposed on investors. The text also insists on a point often absent from such announcements: Ghanaian companies must obtain substantial stakes, management control, and technical skills in manufacturing, laboratory analysis, software engineering, and equipment maintenance.

The modernization of VALCO and local aluminum refining, which would link Ghanaian bauxite to smelting and finished products, are presented as the flagship priority of the plan.

A call to the rest of the continent

Mahama did not stop at his country's borders. He called on African leaders to translate the Africa Mining Vision into their national legislation and to ratify the instruments creating the African Minerals Development Centre. The Vice President of Liberia, Jeremiah Koung, attended the Accra meeting.

The execution remains. The presidency acknowledges that investors are demanding predictable rules and fast-tracked permits. Between the announcement and the first smelters, that is where the credibility of the 2030 deadline will be tested.