TLDR

• Ivory Coast has approved 11 new mining exploration permits for local and international firms targeting gold, cobalt, and copper
• This comes as the West African nation accelerates efforts to expand its mineral base and attract new investment
• The move reflects the government's strategy to position the Ivory Coast as a stable, investor-friendly mining hub

Ivory Coast has approved 11 new mining exploration permits for local and international firms targeting gold, cobalt, and copper, as the West African nation accelerates efforts to expand its mineral base and attract new investment.

Eight of the new permits focus on gold exploration, including allocations to Resolute Exploration Côte d'Ivoire, developer of the Doropo gold project, and Tieto Minéral, operator of the Abujar gold mine near Abidjan. The remaining three permits cover chrome, manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper.

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The move reflects the government's strategy to position the Ivory Coast as a stable, investor-friendly mining hub, in contrast to the growing regulatory uncertainty in neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Gold production rose from 10 tonnes in 2012 to 58 tonnes in 2024, with output expected to reach 62 tonnes in 2025 and 100 tonnes by 2030. Mining now contributes 4% of GDP, up from 1.5% a decade ago.

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Key Takeaways

Ivory Coast's approval of new exploration permits marks the latest step in its bid to become West Africa's next major mining destination. The country's political stability, transparent licensing regime, and infrastructure investments have helped attract global interest even as security and governance risks rise elsewhere in the Sahel. By broadening exploration beyond gold to base metals like cobalt and copper -- key inputs for the global energy transition -- Abidjan is aligning its mining ambitions with global demand trends. The sector's expansion also fits within President Alassane Ouattara's economic diversification plan to reduce dependence on cocoa exports, which still account for nearly 40% of foreign earnings. If current growth targets are met, Ivory Coast could join Africa's top five gold producers by 2030, solidifying its role as a regional leader in responsible resource development.