President John Dramani Mahama has called for greater African economic independence, urging countries on the continent to reduce their reliance on foreign aid, strengthen domestic financing and process more of their natural resources locally.

Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit 2026 in the United Kingdom, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to a non-aligned foreign policy and its openness to investors from across the world.

He stressed the need for mutually beneficial partnerships that offer fair returns to investors while creating jobs, promoting industrialisation and supporting sustainable economic growth.

According to the President, African countries must take greater responsibility for financing their development by mobilising domestic resources and reducing dependence on external assistance.

He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that investments in Africa translate into tangible benefits for local economies, including employment opportunities, technology transfer and the development of local industries.

President Mahama further announced Ghana’s target to end exports of raw mineral ores by 2030, as part of efforts to retain more value from the country’s natural resources.

The move is expected to support Ghana’s broader industrialisation agenda by encouraging local processing and value addition before minerals are exported to international markets.

Processing natural resources locally could also create jobs, expand industrial capacity and increase the contribution of the mining sector to the domestic economy.



MA