Ghana is seeking strategic investors and partnerships to unlock its estimated 3 trillion ounces of gold reserves yet to be mined, but the government says exploitation of the vast resource will only proceed under a new dispensation that guarantees meaningful benefits for Ghanaians alongside fair returns for investors.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, said the country was determined to ensure that every ounce of gold extracted from its ground contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

He said Ghana was therefore looking beyond traditional mining investments to strategic partnerships capable of creating greater economic value, jobs, skills development and improved livelihoods.

Mr Tandoh made the remarks at the Ghana Day event at the 2026 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, where the Ghanaian delegation showcased the country’s mineral resource potential and investment opportunities to the international mining community.

Gold must deliver greater benefits

Mr Tandoh said Ghana’s huge gold endowment provided a major opportunity for investors, but the country would not pursue extraction merely for the sake of producing more gold.

“Ghana still has about 3 trillion ounces of gold on the ground, and that is why we need the best of the best to partner to ensure that whatever we mine, every ounce coming from the ground actually makes an impact in the lives of the people. This is the only condition under which this estimated 3 trillion ounces would be mined,” he stated.

The position, he said, reflected a new approach to mining in which mineral extraction must translate into tangible economic and social benefits for the country.

He said the objective was to establish win-win partnerships in which investors obtained fair returns while Ghana secured greater value from its natural resources.

Ghana opens doors to investors

While inviting international investors to take advantage of Ghana’s mineral resource endowment, Mr Tandoh said the country had established a smooth and investor-friendly licensing regime to facilitate investment in the mining sector.

He said Ghana offered a stable investment environment, mine-support services and legal protections for investors, including safeguards against expropriation.

“We have a stable environment, mine-support services, and you are protected from expropriation. Everything in the country supports you as an investor,” he assured prospective investors.

He also highlighted the role of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), as well as provisions in the Constitution and mining laws designed to protect investors and provide security of tenure for mining rights.

Transparent licensing regime

Mr Tandoh said the licensing regime provided transparency in the processing of mining applications, including a first-come, first-served approach.

“There is security of tenure over mining titles, with the right to pledge and alienate them freely. There is also a transparent application process that ensures a first-come, first-served procedure,” he emphasised.

According to him, the framework was intended to provide investors with greater certainty while creating an enabling environment for long-term investment in the mining sector.

The Minerals Commission CEO stressed, however, that investment security would go hand in hand with Ghana’s determination to secure greater value from its mineral resources.

Focus shifts to value addition

He said the new approach to mining was centred on ensuring that mineral extraction generated wider economic opportunities instead of limiting the benefits to the production and export of raw minerals.

The focus, he said, included the creation of jobs, development of local skills, expansion of economic opportunities and improvement in livelihoods.

The strategy also seeks to encourage partnerships capable of strengthening the economic contribution of Ghana’s mineral resources.

Ghana showcases mineral potential

The Ghana Day was a major highlight of the 2026 China Mining Conference in Tianjin and offered Ghana an opportunity to present its geological potential, investment opportunities and policy direction to the international investor community.

The event was organised around three key pillars: geology, value addition and investment partnerships.

Officials from the Ghana Geological Survey Authority and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation also made presentations on Ghana’s geological endowment, mineral-sector opportunities and their respective roles in developing the country’s mineral resources.

The presentations formed part of Ghana’s broader effort to attract strategic investment and partnerships capable of transforming the country’s mineral wealth into sustainable economic development.

For the Minerals Commission, the message to potential investors is that Ghana remains open for business, but future exploitation of its vast gold resources must deliver stronger and more meaningful benefits to the Ghanaian economy while providing investors with fair and secure returns.