NNH Minerals Desk
West African governments are moving to capture more value from their gold industries, with new laws and policies that strengthen state control and local participation.
Burkina Faso: Nationalization
Burkina Faso has taken ownership of five gold mines, transferring them to the state-run Société de Participation Minière du Burkina (SOPAMIB).
Uba Saidu Malami, Subject Expert and Advisor to the ORDF, says the move is designed to secure revenue flows and channel mining profits into national development priorities.
Mali: Higher State Stakes
Mali’s revised 2023 mining code increased government participation in new projects from 20% to 35%. The reform also gives the state a stronger hand in licensing and royalties.
Malami notes this reflects a regional trend of African states “seeking greater leverage over extractive industries while still attracting foreign investment.”
Ghana: Refining at Home
Ghana is constructing a national gold refinery, banning raw bauxite exports, and reserving mine acquisitions for Ghanaian investors.
“These initiatives,” Malami explains, “aim to keep more value within the domestic economy and link mining to industrialization.”
Regional Outlook
The policy shifts in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ghana all point to a new wave of resource nationalism in West Africa. Governments are prioritizing:
More revenue through higher state stakes.
Local processing to retain value.
Stronger sovereignty over strategic assets.
Malami concludes:
> “The focus is now on ownership, beneficiation, and ensuring mineral wealth drives long-term national growth.”
Credit: NNH Minerals Desk, with expert contributions from Uba Saidu Malami, Subject Expert and Advisor to the ORDF.
