Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, says Africa is still far from achieving real regional and continental integration in the mining sector due to weak enforcement of policies and uncoordinated legal frameworks.
Speaking at the Intergovernmental Summit on Day One of the 2026 Mining Indaba Conference in Cape Town, the Minister stressed that Africa’s integration agenda must go beyond political declarations to practical, enforceable economic systems.
The discussion was held under the theme “How Close is Africa to Real Regional and Continental Integration?”
Integration Is an Economic Necessity
According to Mr. Buah, Africa’s integration is no longer a choice but an economic requirement needed to attract investment and unlock shared prosperity.
“Africa’s integration is not simply a political aspiration—it is an economic necessity,” he said.
He noted that although many African countries have mining policies and laws at the national level, enforcement remains weak, and frameworks are largely not harmonised across borders.
“What Africa has are isolated institutional and legal frameworks that do not speak to each other,” the Minister observed.
He added that continental initiatives such as the African Mining Vision and ECOWAS Mining Code remain largely aspirational, lacking the legal authority and institutional strength to ensure compliance.
‘Sovereignty Trap’ Hurting Investment
Mr. Buah warned that Africa continues to fall into a “sovereignty trap”, where national interests and unilateral policies—such as export bans—override collective regional goals.
This, he said, has created a policy-confidence gap, discouraging long-term investment and slowing Africa’s transition from raw mineral exports to value-added processing hubs.
Ghana’s Reforms Show the Way
The Lands Minister highlighted Ghana’s efforts to improve governance and investor confidence through:
- Reforms to the Minerals and Mining Act to ensure predictability and global best practices
- The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) for transparent mineral revenue management
- The establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GOLBOD) to regulate gold trading and curb smuggling
- Digitisation of land and mining systems to reduce bureaucracy
- Strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reforms to promote responsible mining
Aligning with Continental Frameworks
Mr. Buah said Ghana’s reforms are aligned with AfCFTA, ECOWAS mining frameworks, and the African Union Mining Vision, aimed at building trust, harmonising standards, and promoting seamless mineral trade across Africa.
“Mining integration can drive broader economic integration and help Africa retain more value from its resources,” he noted.
Integration Is a Marathon
In his closing remarks, the Minister called for sustained political will across the continent.
“Integration is a marathon, not a sprint. Ghana’s journey shows that with good governance and resilience, Africa can move from aspiration to achievement.”
He urged African leaders to build strong institutions that transcend political cycles and make continental integration a reality.
