Ghana has made a strong pitch to Australian investors for its fast-growing critical minerals sector, positioning itself as a stable, reform-driven hub for the global energy transition at the 2026 Africa Down Under (ADU) Summit in Perth.
Ghana’s side was led by Ghana High Commissioner to Australia, Ms Doris Brese and the Deputy Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission, Maxwell Yao Akpene Klu, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Small Scale & Industrial Minerals touted the potential of the country’s mineral industries.
Addressing mining executives, financiers and policymakers at the business meeting in Perth-Western Australia, which is the continent’s largest African-focused mining event held outside Africa, the deputy chief executive, said Ghana is moving beyond its traditional gold dominance to become a strategic partner for battery minerals and green technologies.
“Our country is not just about extracting resources, we are committed to a paradigm shift in mining, one that moves beyond the dig-and-ship model to a value-added approach for the creation of job and wealth locally,” he said.
While reaffirming the country’s status as Africa’s leading gold producer and a destination that has become attractive to mining investment over the past years, Mr Klu outlined vast opportunities in lithium, bauxite, iron ore and base metals among other industrial materials.
The prospective benefits of iron ore production, contingent upon effective management of the resources for environmental sustainability, and support government efforts to protect investorinterests while simultaneously promoting local content.
The importance of value addition he said cannot be overrule, saying “value addition transforms raw goods into higher-value products to boost income margins, reduce waste, and create jobs and “again let me say the era of dig-and-ship materials at its raw state are over, hence the need to deliver value-added minerals, while work towards industrialization.”
The transformation of Ghana’s economy through gold production and focus on value addition over the past 18 months remained one critical step and testament of the reset agenda.
On bauxite and iron ore, the he said the country holds more than a billion tonnes of iron ore resources and is seeking private partners through the Ghana Integrated Iron and SteelDevelopment Corporation (GIISDEC).
The Ghana integrated iron and steel drive he said was to build integrated industries from mining to refining and smelting as he confirmed promising geological prospects of pure minerals for manufacturing and industrialization.
The deputy CEO, noted that the exploration remains vibrant with hundreds of active projects targeting gold, lithium, iron ore among many others.
Mr Klu also assured investors, that the country’s legal stability anchored in the 1992 Constitution and the Minerals and Mining Act 703 of 2006, which is also under amendment for progressive mining environment as well as the recent incentives including some waivers for mineral exploration was to create the needed environment for the growth.
“The investor community is investing in Ghana with confidence and knowing that theirinvestments are protected by a stable political environment and a government that upholds the principles of good governance, including the rule of law and the sanctity of contracts,” he said.
In her address, the high commissioner to Australia highlighted the foundational developments established during the past 18 months of His Excellency JM’s administration.
The prudent management of the country’s economy in transparent and under the rule of law she emphasised was the reason for the country emerging as the continent’s premier destination for investment.
The delegation from Ghana also attended the graduation of two out of 25 students under the Minerals Commission sponsorship programme at Curtin University in Perth, while eight are scheduled to graduate in February next year.
The Minerals Commission sponsorship programme was for needed human resource development in the growing demands in the minerals sector which has become a centre of international repute.
They were accompanied by the by officials from the Ghana High Commission in Australia and her deputy.
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