The extractive sector continued its upward trajectory in 2024, with a total of 343 mineral rights granted to companies, according to the National Development Planning Commission’s (NDPC) 2024 Annual Progress Report.

The report revealed that the country’s mining and extractive industry recorded exceptional performance, making Ghana Africa’s leading gold producer for the year. Total gold output reached 5,059,239 ounces, up from 3,989,792 ounces in 2023, representing a significant 26.8 percent increase.

Beyond gold, the NDPC noted that overall mineral production, including diamond, bauxite, and manganese, surged by 54.6 percent, pushing the sector’s total value to USD 11.9 billion in 2024.

The Commission, however, cautioned that illegal mining (galamsey) continues to pose a serious environmental threat, undermining sustainable development efforts despite the formal growth in mining investments.

The industry also made a substantial impact on employment, creating 1,135,242 jobs during the year. Of these, 35,242 were in large-scale operations, while about 1.1 million were in small-scale extraction activities.