Guinea has begun steps to revoke the mining licence of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, intensifying a long-running dispute between the West African nation and the Emirati company.
EGA, which is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala and the Investment Corporation of Dubai, manages one of Guinea’s largest bauxite operations through its subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC). However, tensions between the company and Guinea’s authorities have been building since October 2023, when the government halted GAC’s mining and export activities over concerns related to customs duties.
A senior Guinean government official, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed to Reuters that the process of withdrawing GAC’s licence is now underway and that formal notification has been issued. EGA has not yet publicly commented on the development.
The potential cancellation marks a significant moment in a broader regional trend. Military-led governments in several West African nations—including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea—have increasingly taken assertive steps to revise mining laws, scrutinise contracts, detain industry figures, and suspend or seize operations, all in an effort to tighten their grip on lucrative mineral resources and increase state revenues.
EGA began its mining operations in Guinea in 2019. In 2022, it exported approximately 14 million metric tonnes of bauxite. However, due to the suspension of activities last year, exports fell to 10.8 million wet metric tonnes in 2024, according to company data released in March.
Guinea is the second-largest producer of bauxite globally, after Australia. EGA’s concession in the country spans 690 square kilometres and is estimated to contain around 400 million tonnes of bauxite, the primary ore used in aluminium production.
