The Minerals Commission of Ghana has given three international companies-
Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti, and Zijin Mining- until December 2026 to shift mining operations over to local contractors or face sanctions.
Most other large-scale miners, including Gold Fields, have already transitioned to contract mining, while Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti, and Zijin Mining vacilate, leading to the directive and the threat of sanctions by the Commission.
The revised localization rules, established in January 2025, specify the required level of Ghanaian participation thus:
• Surface Mining: Must be performed by 100% Ghanaian-owned firms.
• Underground Mining: Must be carried out by companies with at least 50% local ownership.
The commission has warned that failure to meet the 2026 deadline will result in severe penalties.
• Initial Step: Imposition of substantial financial fines.
• Final Escalation: The regulator maintains the right to shut down operations at the non-compliant mine.
While the companies have requested extensions, the regulator has largely rejected these pleas, citing that other listed firms have already complied.
• Newmont: Requested an extension to 2027 to meet complex governance requirements; the request was rejected.
• Zijin Mining: Has been engaging with the commission since late 2025 to prepare technical frameworks and tenders for the shift.
• Local Capacity: Ghanaian firms like Rocksure and Engineers & Planners are being positioned to take over these expanded roles.
The directive the Minerals Commission of Ghana
marks a major shift in how the country manages its status as Africa’s top gold producer. By mandating a transition to local contractors by December 2026, Ghana aims to retain more economic value and build domestic technical capacity.
This move is part of a broader trend of African governments tightening mining codes to extract more revenue and ensure high-level local participation in mineral sector.
