Ghana Energy

What role will coal play in Ghana’s energy mix?

Even amidst a broader economic slowdown, Ghana’s energy consumption continues to expand, underlining the urgency of boosting generation capacity and improving access to power. Over the past few years, problems with imported supply and low levels of rainfall have constricted feedstock for the country’s power plants, resulting in bouts of load...

The country has been attempting for several years to combat the problem of illegal mining, in which foreigners join or compete with indigenous, small-scale miners in an untaxed activity that is meant to be the preserve of Ghanaians. An update to the legislation covering the mining sector, if approved, will provide law enforcement agencies with...

The role of galamsey, or artisanal, small-scale miners, in Ghana has become increasingly important. This group is currently responsible for all diamond production and its share of gold production has more than doubled since 2008, as the rise in gold prices has attracted more people to try their hand at mining. These operators are currently not...

The mining sector in Ghana, in particular gold mining, is one of Africa’s oldest, but growth has been hampered in recent years by external factors such as lower metal prices and internal ones like the rising cost of electricity and illegal mining. These difficulties have combined to boost costs and lower profit margins in the sector, and legal...

For decades Ghana’s power supply outstripped demand, but that equation has shifted in recent years, with inconsistent electricity generation and transmission constraining economic growth. Traditionally the country has been a strong performer when it comes to power investment, and indeed, as the US Power Africa initiative notes, “as compared to...