West Africa key to gold growth, Fortuna CEO says

AI desk brief

Fortuna CEO Jorge Ganoza said West Africa is essential for precious-metals producers because of its large mineral endowment and faster mine development timelines, despite higher geopolitical risk. He said the region produces more gold collectively than China and noted Fortuna operates two mines there, alongside two in Latin America.

Ganoza also highlighted operational bottlenecks shaping project timelines: competition for skilled labor and equipment, especially power generators, which are in high demand from data centers and AI infrastructure. At Fortuna’s Bambadji gold project, the company is spending before final investment decision while waiting on an exploitation permit, underscoring both the urgency and risk of developing in the region.