Africa’s vast mineral wealth has long attracted global attention. But for years, one problem kept many promising projects trapped on paper: investors were unwilling to commit billions without guarantees that someone would actually buy the minerals once production began.
Now, a quiet financing strategy is beginning to change that, and some of the world’s biggest commodity traders are moving aggressively to secure their place, APANews reports.
In April 2026, multinational commodities giant Trafigura signed a major offtake agreement with Heath Goldfields for Ghana’s Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine, committing to purchase roughly 700,000 ounces of gold over the life of the project.
On the surface, the agreement looks like a straightforward sales arrangement. But industry observers say the real value lies elsewhere.
By guaranteeing a long-term buyer, the deal dramatically improves the project’s ability to secure financing, solving one of the biggest problems facing African mining ventures: access to capital.
