Ghana and Jamaica are working to revive their long-standing bauxite and alumina trade through a potential $60 million deal. Under the proposed agreement, Jamaican bauxite would be refined in Louisiana, USA, into alumina before being shipped to Ghana for final aluminium production.
The deal is in progress and can help Ghana in achieving more value from its bauxite resources by reducing its reliance on imported alumina. This will strengthen their efforts to develop a fully integrated aluminium industry. It will also boost trade and economic ties between African and Caribbean regions.
As per the sources, Ghana has vast bauxite resources, yet it still lacks a domestic alumina refinery. This leaves the aluminium industry of Ghana dependent on imported alumina. The proposed $60 million deal with Jamaica will help in bridging that gap while reviving a decades-old trade relationship between the two countries.
Donna Marie Howe, Managing Director of Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited (JBM) said that the discussions are already under way and will soon lead to signing of a formal agreement. The official talks for the same began in March 2026 after the Ghana representatives from state-owned bauxite sector visited Jamaica to explore renewed cooperation.
Considering this, the Jamaican bauxite will be first refined at the Gramercy facility in Louisiana in the US. Then it will be shipped for the final alumina to Ghana for aluminium production.
Jamaica🇯🇲 and Ghana🇬🇭 are negotiating to revive their decades-old bauxite and alumina trading relationship with a potential $60 million deal.
The agreement aims to help Ghana🇬🇭 capture more value from its bauxite resources and reduce dependence on imported alumina.
The deal… pic.twitter.com/8mAsgkA0un
— Business Insider Africa (@BusInsiderSSA) August 17, 2026
According to Howe, they have started discussing about how they can rejuvenate in getting some ore bauxite refined in the Louisiana plant in Gramercy. Later it can be shipped to Ghana, and they can further initiate the production of aluminium there.
She said that the initiative has full support of Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, who recently completed a four-day state visit to Jamaica, Caribbean.
Howe mentioned that the timeline for this is imminent. And now they just need to work on those discussions and transition that into an actual agreement.
Reportedly, the proposed deal would build on an existing trade relationship rather than creating a new market for Jamaica in Ghana.
Earlier in 2024, Ghana imported about 26,250 tonnes of Jamaican alumina worth $11.1 million, as compared to the nearly 30,900 tonnes worth $13.1 million for Egypt and about 11,600 tonnes valued at $4.1 million for Cameroon.
The latest deal is a great decision as Ghana-Jamaica relationship is going to stretch much further. The proposed $60 million Jamaica deal would therefore help in meeting Ghana’s immediate alumina needs. While the country continues its efforts in building domestic refining capacity and by processing more of its own bauxite at home.