Natural resources of Ghana
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Ghana: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
13.3 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2025)
74.2 %
Crude oil, barrels a day (2025)
182,981
Natural gas, billion cubic metres (2024)
3.4
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Oil, gas and coal
Ghana produced about 182,981 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025. Proved oil reserves were 660 million barrels in 2021. It produced 3.4 billion cubic metres of natural gas in 2024. Proved gas reserves were 22.7 billion cubic metres in 2021.
View the data as a table
| Period | Crude oil |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 77 |
| 2012 | 78 |
| 2013 | 98 |
| 2014 | 105 |
| 2015 | 102 |
| 2016 | 98 |
| 2017 | 151 |
| 2018 | 173 |
| 2019 | 200 |
| 2020 | 199 |
| 2021 | 180 |
| 2022 | 165 |
| 2023 | 162 |
| 2024 | 188 |
| 2025 | 183 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Production | Exports |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2012 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2013 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2014 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| 2016 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| 2018 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| 2020 | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| 2021 | 2.9 | 0.0 |
| 2022 | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| 2023 | 3.1 | 0.0 |
| 2024 | 3.4 | 0.0 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
| Manganese | 2,000 | thousand metric tons | 3 | 10.0 | 3 | 13,000 thousand metric tons |
| Gold | 150 | metric tons | 6 | 4.5 | 1 | 1,000 metric tons |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 13 mineral commodities with published production in Ghana between 2018 and 2022, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 13 of 13
| Bauxite | Metals | Not published | 1,011 | 1,116 | 1,162 | 839 | 773 | Not published |
| Metal, primary | Metals | Not published | 42 | 42 | 30 | 30 | 14 | Not published |
| Artisanal and small-scale producers | Metals | kilograms | 61,000 | 49,000 | 37,000 | 3,048 | 20,393 | 2018: e; 2019: e; 2020: e |
| Large-scale producers | Metals | kilograms | 87,336 | 92,982 | 88,552 | 84,601 | 95,786 | Not published |
| Lead, refinery, secondary | Metals | Not published | 1,000 | 900 | 900 | Not published | Not published | 2018: e; 2019: e; 2020: e; 2021: --; 2022: -- |
| Manganese, mine, gross weight | Metals | Not published | 4,552 | 5,383 | 2,358 | 3,336 | 3,172 | Not published |
| Manganese, mine, mn content | Metals | Not published | 1,364 | 1,554 | 637 | 911 | 844 | 2021: r |
| Silver, mine, Ag content | Metals | kilograms | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,800 | Not published |
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 5,110 | 5,900 | 6,700 | 7,000 | 7,000 | 2019: r; 2020: r; 2021: r, e; 2022: e |
| Diamond, gem and industrial | Industrial Minerals | thousand carats | 59 | 38 | 26 | 55 | 83 | Not published |
| Salt | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 300 | 350 | 250 | 400 | 400 | 2018: r; 2019: r; 2021: r |
| Natural gas | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand cubic meters | 923,232 | 1,670,880 | 6,734,348 | 5,272,754 | 5,162,123 | 2020: r; 2021: r |
| Petroleum, crude | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 62,771 | 71,395 | 66,910 | 55,050 | 51,760 | 2021: r |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 35 of 35
| Aluminum | Volta Aluminum Co. Ltd. (VALCO) (Government, 100%) | Aluminum smelter at Tema | Not published | Not published |
| Bauxite | Ghana Bauxite Company Ltd. (GBCL) (Bosai Minerals Group Co. Ltd., 80%, and Government, 20%) | Bauxite mine at Awaso | Not published | Not published |
| Cement | Ghana Cement Company Ltd. (GHACEM) (HeidelbergCement AG, 93.1%) | Clinker grinding plant at Takoradi | Not published | Not published |
| Cement | Ghana Cement Company Ltd. (GHACEM) (HeidelbergCement AG, 93.1%) | Clinker grinding plant at Tema | Not published | Not published |
| Cement | Diamond Cement Ghana Ltd. | Cement plant at Aflao | Not published | Not published |
| Cement | Savanna Cement Company Ltd. (SAVACEM) and Diamond Cement Ghana Ltd. | Town of Buipe, Central Gonja District | Not published | Not published |
| Diamond | Ghana Consolidated Diamond Ltd. (Government, 100%) | Akwatia Diamond Mine Birim Valley | Not published | thousand carats |
| Diamond | Artisanal diamond miners | Alluvials, Birim Valley | Not published | thousand carats |
| Gold | AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10% | Obuasi Mine, 60 kilometers south of Kumasi | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10% | Iduapriem Mine, 70 kilometers north of Takoradi | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Resolute (Bibiani) Ltd. (Resolute Mining Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10%) | Bibiani Mine, 250 kilometers northwest of Accra | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Ltd. (Golden Star Resources Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10%) | Bogoso-Prestea open pit and underground mine complex, 300 kilometers west of Accra | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Golden Star Resources, 90%, and Government, 10% | Wassa Mine, processing plant, 30 kilometers northwest of Tarkwa | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Gold Fields Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10% | Tarkwa open pit mine and carbon-in-leach and heap-leach plants, 300 kilometers west of Accra | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Gold Fields Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10% | Damang Gold Mine and carbon-in-leach plant, 360 kilometers west of Accra | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Asanko Gold Inc., 45%; Gold Fields Ltd.,45%; Government, 10% | Asanko Gold Mine, Ashanti Region | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Newmont Mining Corp., 90%, and Government, 10% | Ahafo Mine-Subika underground mine Brong-Ahafo region | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Newmont Mining Corp., 90%, and Government, 10% | Akyem Mine, Birim North District | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Endeavour Mining Corp., 90%, and Government, 10% | Nzema Mine, 280 kilometers west of Accra east municipal district | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Chirano Gold Mine Ltd. (Kinross Gold Corp. 90%, and Government, 10%) | Chirano Mine, 100 kilometers from Kumasi, southwestern Ghana | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Perseus Mining Ltd. | Edikan Gold Mine, Central Region | Not published | kilograms |
| Gold | Artisanal and small-scale gold miners | Alluvial and hard rock throughout Ghana | Not published | kilograms |
| Lead, secondary | Gravita Ghana Ltd. (Gravita India Ltd.) | Recycling plant in Tema, Greater Accra | Not published | Not published |
| Lead, secondary | Recycler Ghana Limited (Gravita India Ltd.) | Recycling plant in Tema, Greater Accra | Not published | Not published |
| Limestone and lime | Carmeuse Lime Products (Ghana) Ltd. (Carmeuse SA) | Plant in Takoradi | 100 | Not published |
| Manganese ore | Ghana Manganese Company Ltd. (Ningxia Tianyuan Manganese Industry Co., Ltd., 90%, and Government, 10%) | Open pit mine at Nsuta-Wassaw western region | Not published | Not published |
| Natural gas | Eni Ghana 44.44%; Vitol Ghana 35.56%; Ghana National Petroleum Corp. (GNPC), 20% | Offshore Cape Three Points, Sankofa Main & East and Gye Nyame reservoirs | Not published | thousand cubic meters |
| (Thousand metric tons unless otherwise specified) | Major operating companies | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Commodity | and major equity owners | Location of main facilities | Not published | Not published |
| Petroleum, crude | Tullow Oil plc, 35.48%; Anadarko Petroleum Corp., 24.08%; Kosmos Energy LLC, 24.08%; Ghana National Petroleum Corp. (GNPC), 13.64%; Petro SA, 2.73% | Jubilee field, 60 kilometers offshore western Ghana | Not published | barrels per day |
| Petroleum, crude | Tullow Oil plc 47.18%; Kosmos Energy LLC 17%; Anadarko 17%; Ghana National Petroleum Corp. (GNPC), 15%; Petro SA 3.82% | TEN field, Tano block, about 60 kilometres offshore western Ghana | Not published | barrels per day |
| Petroleum, crude | Eni S.p.A., 44.44%; Vitol Ghana 35.56%; Ghana National Petroleum Corp. (GNPC), 20% | Offshore Cape Three Points Sankofa-Gye Nyame field | Not published | barrels per day |
| Petroleum products thousand | Tema Oil Refinery (Government, 100%) | Refinery at Tema | Not published | Not published |
| Salt | Panbros Salt Industry Ltd. | Salt pan at Mendskrom, near Accra | Not published | Not published |
| Salt | Elmina Salt Producers Association | Artisanal salt pan mining near Elmina | Not published | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2019, Ghana. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 13.3% of GDP in 2021, with minerals the largest part. That ranks Ghana 17th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Natural gas | Minerals | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.4 % | 0.0 % | 3.9 % | 5.8 % |
| 2011 | 5.1 % | 0.0 % | 5.5 % | 5.5 % |
| 2012 | 4.8 % | 0.0 % | 4.8 % | 6.2 % |
| 2013 | 3.5 % | 0.0 % | 3.0 % | 4.4 % |
| 2014 | 3.4 % | 0.0 % | 3.2 % | 5.7 % |
| 2015 | 1.3 % | 0.1 % | 2.4 % | 6.8 % |
| 2016 | 1.0 % | 0.0 % | 1.2 % | 6.4 % |
| 2017 | 2.6 % | 0.1 % | 1.8 % | 5.9 % |
| 2018 | 4.1 % | 0.1 % | 1.7 % | 3.8 % |
| 2019 | 4.1 % | 0.2 % | 2.1 % | 3.5 % |
| 2020 | 2.3 % | 0.2 % | 2.2 % | 3.8 % |
| 2021 | 4.1 % | 0.4 % | 5.2 % | 3.8 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
30.9 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
20.7 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
914 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Ghana. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Ghana have?
Ghana's main natural resources are crude oil, natural gas, manganese and gold. It was the world's 3rd largest producer of manganese in 2025, with 10% of world output. Gold, diamonds and precious metals made up 63.1% of its goods exports in 2025, and all resources together 74.2%. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 13.3% of GDP in 2021, mostly from minerals. The U.S. Geological Survey also records production of bauxite, metal, artisanal and small-scale producers, large-scale producers, silver and diamond, among 7 mineral commodities.
Does Ghana produce oil?
Yes. Ghana produced about 182,981 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Proved oil reserves were 660 million barrels in 2021.
What is Ghana's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, gold, diamonds and precious metals: 63.1% of goods exports in 2025, according to UN Comtrade.
How much do natural resources contribute to Ghana's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 13.3% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Ghana 17th of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in Ghana?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2019 list of Ghana's mineral industry names 29 operating companies, including Volta Aluminum Co. Ltd., Ghana Bauxite Company Ltd., Ghana Cement Company Ltd., Diamond Cement Ghana Ltd. and Savanna Cement Company Ltd.. The full list is on this page.
Where does Ghana rank in world mineral production?
In 2025, Ghana ranked 3rd for manganese and 6th for gold among the producers the U.S. Geological Survey lists.