In a bold assertion of economic sovereignty, Guinea has seized control of a major bauxite concession previously owned by the UAE’s Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), citing violations of local mining laws — including failure to build a promised alumina refinery.
Signed into law by military leader General Mamadi Doumbouya on 4 August, the decree strips Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) of its 690 km² concession in Boké and transfers it to a new state-owned entity, Nimba Mining Company, for 25 years. GAC, which began operations in 2019 and exported 18 million tonnes in 2024 alone, plans to pursue international arbitration for what it calls a ‘wrongful termination.’
Guinea’s move mirrors a broader regional shift. From Mali to Niger, military-led governments are pushing out Western and Gulf mining firms in favor of local or state-backed operators. Analysts point to a growing backlash against decades of resource extraction under unequal terms. Guinea has already taken control of 2 million tonnes of GAC’s stockpiled bauxite at Kamsar port — likely headed to China — and signaled readiness to court new partners, including India’s Jindal Group.
The decision highlights the Sahel and West Africa’s pivot toward economic self-reliance, amid global funding cutbacks and diminishing Western influence. Following coups between 2020 and 2023 in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, “there has long been a strong desire for diversification in international relations in these countries,” said Seidik Abba, head of the Paris-based Sahel think tank CIRES.