Madagascar has lifted a 16-year moratorium on the issuance of new mining permits for most minerals, the government announced late Thursday, while maintaining restrictions on gold mining licences due to ongoing regulatory challenges.
The suspension, which had been in place since 2010, was originally imposed to allow a comprehensive review of the country’s mining governance and legal framework. During this period, the issuance of new licences was halted, leaving thousands of applications pending.
Mining plays a critical role in Madagascar’s economy, with major exports including nickel, cobalt, graphite, and ilmenite. The sector is also a key source of foreign investment and export earnings.
The Ambatovy nickel-cobalt project remains the country’s flagship mining operation and one of its largest foreign investment ventures, contributing significantly to national export revenue.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Madagascar’s Minister of Mines, Carl Andriamparany, said the government decided to reopen the permit system to stimulate investment and enable operators to function legally.
“Mining permits are an essential working tool that allows operators and investors to operate legally,” Andriamparany said. “That is why we have decided to lift the suspension on issuing permits.”
According to Madagascar’s most recent Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report, published at the end of 2025, about 1,650 applications for mining permits were still pending with the mining administration as of 2023.
Despite the policy shift, the government has chosen to maintain the moratorium on gold mining permits. The minister cited major discrepancies between officially reported gold production figures and the widespread scale of artisanal mining activities across the country.
“According to official statistics for the past year, the volume of gold declared amounts to just over 13 kilograms,” Andriamparany said, describing the figure as negligible compared to the level of mining activity nationwide.
He added that the decision reflects the government’s recognition of its current limitations in regulating the gold sector.
“In light of this situation, the government has acknowledged our current inability to effectively regulate the sector and establish a rigorous monitoring system,” he said.
