President Mahama calls for African mineral partnerships to prioritise local processing

President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to strengthen cooperation in the mining sector and prioritise local processing of mineral resources to ensure the continent retains a greater share of the wealth generated from its natural resources.

He said African mineral partnerships must go beyond the extraction and export of raw materials to promote value addition, industrialisation, technology transfer and job creation across the continent.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, President Mahama said Africa must take advantage of growing global demand for critical minerals to build domestic industries and support its next phase of industrial development.

He questioned whether the minerals being extracted from Africa would contribute to the continent’s own industrial transformation or continue to fuel economic growth elsewhere.

“For generations, ships have departed from Ghana’s ports, carrying Ghanaian manganese and bauxite. Much of these materials has supplied industries in other parts of the world, while we have imported the finished products made from these mineral ores,” he said.

President Mahama noted that the practice had deprived African countries of opportunities for skilled employment, technological advancement and industrial growth, stressing the need to change the pattern through strategic mineral agreements and regional cooperation.

He called for African countries to coordinate their mining policies, share information and expertise, and strengthen their bargaining power when negotiating with international mining companies.

Recalling an experience from his previous presidency, he said a leader from another West African country had approached him over a mining company that was seeking a lower royalty rate in that country after citing Ghana’s higher rates as a reason to relocate its investment.

According to him, the experience demonstrated how the lack of coordination and information-sharing among African countries could undermine their collective interests and weaken their negotiating positions.

President Mahama urged African leaders to resist agreements that create competition among neighbouring countries at the expense of the continent’s long-term development.

“I support a common African approach that accommodates national circumstances and evolving industrial needs. Negotiation and information-sharing are important,” he said.

He further called for regional processing agreements that would ensure minerals extracted from African soil were transformed into finished and semi-finished products before being exported.

He cited electric vehicle batteries, electric cables, transformers, finished aluminium components and rare-earth magnets as examples of products that African countries should increasingly manufacture from their mineral resources.

President Mahama said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Mining Vision and Agenda 2063 provided a foundation for countries to coordinate investments, develop regional infrastructure and expand markets for African-made products.

He also called for the removal of trade barriers, simplified customs procedures and improved transport and payment systems to make it easier for businesses to source raw materials and sell finished products across the continent.

As Ghana prepares to assume the chairmanship of the African Union in 2027, he said the country would promote the Accra Reset as part of efforts to advance Africa’s collective development agenda.

He urged African Union member states that had not ratified the statutes of the African Minerals Development Centre to do so and called for dependable funding and technical support to enable the institution to strengthen geological knowledge, improve negotiating capacity and develop regional mineral value chains.

President Mahama, however, stressed that the push for local processing did not amount to a rejection of foreign investment, inviting international investors to partner with African businesses to build competitive industries on the continent.

“To investors, I say: Bring your capital, expertise and technology. Partner with us in African enterprise and resources to build competitive industries here in Africa,” he said.

He added that successful partnerships must deliver practical benefits through technology transfer, local enterprise development and meaningful participation by indigenous companies.

President Mahama maintained that African countries must ensure mineral development protects communities, workers and the environment while generating sustainable economic opportunities.

He said the ultimate objective should be to ensure that Africa’s mineral wealth translates into better living conditions, skilled employment, stronger businesses, modern infrastructure, clean drinking water and reliable electricity for its people.

“Let us leave Accra with a shared purpose and a practical programme of action. One continent, one voice on minerals, working for our people’s prosperity,” he said.