The Minerals Commission of Ghana has given notice to international companies, including Newmont (NYSE:NEM | ASX:NEM), AngloGold Ashanti (JSE:ANG | NYSE:AU), and Zijin Mining (HK:2899 | SHA:601899), that mining operations need to shift to local contractors by December 2026 or they risk sanctions, according to multiple sources.
As confirmed by Reuters, Ghana’s Minerals Commission asked the three companies to fully comply with the contract mining requirements by the end of the year, according to letters sent to the companies, with failure to meet the deadline to result in sanctions.
Under these regulations, surface mining must be fully undertaken by Ghanaian-owned firms, while underground mining must be carried out by companies with minimum 50% local ownership.
This move comes alongside a general shift in Africa overall as countries seek to extract more value from its raw materials, through ownership and along the metals value chains.
Newmont has since asked for an extension to the regulations, following meetings this month between its global CEO Natascha Viljoen and the Minerals Commission.
Newmont has requested an extension to 2027 for full compliance, but the local regulators have since rejected the request, noting that other major companies have been able to comply already.
In February 2026, the Minerals Commission outlined reforms to boost Ghanaian ownership, revoking more than 300 licences from international firms as a way to target greater local control and equity in its mining industry.
The Commission’s Chief Executive Isaac Tandoh has noted that employment alone is no longer enough.
“Employment is not the same as ownership. Labour is not the same as control. Our people are working in the mines, agree, but do they own the mines?”
Part of these sweeping reforms include local content provisions to be embedded in every mining agreement, procurement decision, and employment policy.
There has also been a series of reforms focused on the elimination of “fronting”, which is a practice in which foreign entities use Ghanaian nominees to acquire mineral rights.
Tandoh has noted that these reforms are not meant to punish investors or majors, but to ensure that Ghanaians benefit equitably from the country’s mineral wealth.
Ghana’s reforms mark a decisive shift from labour to ownership, underscoring the government’s push for equity in its mining sector.
For majors invested in the country already, the December 2026 deadline is more than regulatory in nature. It’s a test to see how global miners can adapt to Africa’s new push to maintain control in local hands.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Newmont
