Togo has suspended all mining permits as part of a broader push to update its legal framework and restrain exploitation by foreigner.
The announcement, first made by the Ministry of Mines on May 28, 2025, aligns with a growing wave of resource nationalism sweeping across Africa, as the West African nation seeks to ensure its mineral wealth benefits local communities and safeguards the environment.
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The decision, detailed in an official decree, terminates the issuance of new prospecting permissions and mining licenses for mineral substances. It however excludes construction materials and industrial minerals.
Togo’s current Mining Code was enacted in 1996 and amended in 2003. It is currently deemed outdated in the evolving global standards.
This move is also in line with Togo’s move to join the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES). The AES is a confederation of junta-led nations including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, formed after a series of coups between 2021 and 2023.
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