The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has said Ghana is adopting a deliberate investment-led approach to managing its mineral resources through the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
The approach is designed to enable the country to participate more meaningfully in the mineral value chain while ensuring long-term national benefits from the sector.
“Through MIIF, Ghana is deliberately taking an investment perspective to mineral resources. It allows us to invest mineral revenues in assets that can generate sustainable returns for the country,” the Minister explained.
Mr. Buah made the comments during a panel discussion on “How close is Africa to real regional and continental integration?” at the 32nd Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town. The four-day conference, themed “Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships,” brought together governments, mining companies, investors, and financiers from across the global mining value chain to explore investment partnerships, policy reforms, and the future of mining in Africa.
The Minister said the MIIF was established to allow the state to take equity positions in mining-related ventures, including infrastructure and downstream opportunities. This approach, he explained, helps attract private capital while reducing reliance on traditional fiscal instruments such as taxes and royalties.
“Investors want predictability and seriousness of purpose. An institution like MIIF demonstrates that Ghana is not only regulating the sector, but also investing alongside partners for mutual benefit,” he added.
Mr. Buah noted that MIIF’s mandate aligns with Ghana’s broader industrialisation and regional integration agenda, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where cross-border mineral value chains and shared infrastructure projects are gaining attention.
“There is strong potential for mineral-linked investments that cut across borders. Investment vehicles such as MIIF can support regional projects where individual national markets may be too small, but collectively become viable,” he said.
Touching on governance, the Minister emphasised that investment must be supported by regulatory certainty, credible geological data, and responsible environmental management—critical elements for attracting patient capital to the sector.
On illegal mining, Mr. Buah reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting legitimate investments while adopting a balanced approach that combines enforcement, community engagement, and formalisation.
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