By Bunmi Yekini
ACCRA, Ghana – African mining ministers from Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have called for urgent reforms to the continent’s mining codes to enhance governance, increase local value creation, and formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.
Speaking at the Mining in Motion 2025 summit in Accra, the leaders emphasized that modernizing legal frameworks is critical to ensuring that Africa’s mineral wealth delivers long-term benefits for local communities and national economies.
Ghana is leading the charge with proposed reforms that include the creation of a new medium-scale mining category. This initiative is intended to bridge the divide between artisanal and large-scale operations while encouraging sustainable practices and local ownership.
“We’re proposing a legal regime that allows indigenous people to own part of the business,” said Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. “We want miners to start small, adopt sustainable practices, and gradually move up to larger operations. It’s about creating an ecosystem of growth and accountability.”
Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Wilmot J.M. Paye, echoed Ghana’s vision, highlighting the need to simplify regulations and bring miners into policy conversations.
“Small-scale mining is where hundreds of thousands of our people get their livelihoods,” Minister Paye said. “To make the sector productive, we must simplify regulations and ensure intergovernmental coordination. We’re bringing miners to the table.”
From Malawi, Minister of Mining Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma stressed the importance of long-term planning and investment in human capital.
“We are building capacity and linking ASM miners to banks so they can grow their formal enterprises,” he said, referencing the country’s Minerals and Mining Policy that prioritizes infrastructure development and modern technologies.
In the DRC, the focus is on environmental oversight and maximizing local economic benefits. Deputy Minister of Mines, Godard Motemona Gibolum, outlined reforms targeting contract enforcement and environmental protection.
“We have a new vision – one in which we are adding more value to minerals and providing jobs for the people of our country,” said Gibolum.
Ghana’s suite of recent policy reforms – including the Local Content and Policy Regulation, the Equipment Tracking Regulations, and the Blue Water Initiative – were praised during the summit as models for the continent. These initiatives are improving transparency, environmental standards, and local participation in mining operations.
The panelists collectively agreed that mining reforms must extend beyond legislation, with investments in skills development, financial access, and community engagement seen as critical to unlocking the sector’s full potential.
“Africa’s mineral wealth can only benefit its people through transparent, inclusive and environmentally conscious governance,” the ministers concluded.