In a landmark decision that could reshape Madagascar’s extractive landscape, the country’s Council of Ministers has approved the official reopening of the issuance of mining permits, ending a de facto suspension that has lasted for more than a decade and a half. The announcement, made at the ministerial meeting on January 27, 2026, marks a major policy shift aimed at revitalizing the sector and attracting new investment.
Since around 2010, Madagascar’s government effectively halted the processing and issuance of new mining permits, a freeze that extended across exploration and exploitation titles as part of efforts to address speculation, governance concerns, and regulatory reform. This long pause significantly constrained the sector’s development, limiting opportunities for investors and dampening economic potential in one of the world’s most mineral-rich regions.
The decision to lift the freeze comes as Madagascar finalizes implementation of its new Mining Code (Law 2023-007) and associated regulations, intended to modernize the legal framework for extractive activities while enhancing economic, environmental, and social governance. Under the updated legal regime, mining permits—ranging from exploration titles to exploitation rights—can be granted again through the Bureau du Cadastre Minier de Madagascar (BCMM), after more than 16 years of largely stalled issuance.
Government officials have framed the reopening as a necessary step to unlock investment, formalize artisanal and small-scale mining, and stimulate broader economic development. In late 2025, authorities indicated that the freeze would be lifted as part of a broader push to combat illicit mining, while integrating social and environmental obligations, including mandatory socio-economic plans, into permit conditions.
Industry and investor reactions have been mixed. Some stakeholders express optimism that the decision will attract fresh capital and technical expertise to Madagascar’s mining frontier, particularly in promising domains such as rare earth elements and industrial minerals. Others caution that transparent implementation, robust environmental safeguards, and community engagement will be crucial to ensure sustainable, equitable outcomes. Civil society and sector observers have long urged clarity around permit issuance and regulatory enforcement, given past concerns about governance and long delays in processing applications.
The reopening of mining permits also aligns with broader ambitions to professionalize the artisanal mining subsector, a significant but largely informal component of Madagascar’s extractive economy. Efforts to formalize operations through supervised zones and specialized permit categories have been underway, reflecting government priorities to both harness the sector’s economic potential and address environmental and social risks.
As the BCMM begins to accept and process new applications, attention will turn to how quickly the sector can respond to renewed investor interest and what regulatory oversight mechanisms will be implemented to balance economic growth with environmental and community protection.