The Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) is in what sources describe as a “serious crisis”, with production capacity falling and critical equipment breaking down across the plant.
Information available shows that, the number of active production lines has fallen from 127 in 2025 to just 90 as of August 2026. The current management led by CEO Robert Makaila Sambian and Ambassador Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah as the board chairman, inherited a total of about 127 active and operational potlines from the NPP administration. However, in just a space of 8 months, the new management has supervised a sharp decline in the production potlines.
According to our information, the smelter is currently running only 90 cells down from 127 in 2025.
The sharp drop is being blamed on a cascade of technical, managerial and supply problems including; Carbon plant failure, Poor fuel quality and Workforce concerns among others.
The 37 pot decline represents a drop of over 30% in operational capacity in less than a year, raising fresh concerns about the viability of Ghana’s only aluminium smelter.
The drop signals deepening distress at the Tema-based smelter, which has struggled for years with lack of needed capital, aging equipment, and overwhelming debt repayment challenges.
Presently, the available data demonstrates that VALCO’s inventory situation is precarious. Green anode stock is under one day, baked anode stock a little over two days, rodded anodes half a day as against their own targets of 15, 15 and 5 days respectively. This means any disruption goes straight into production losses.
Further, Valco reported operational loss of $37/MT as at June 2026. Cost of operations was $3,721/MT against an all-in selling price of $3,684/MT . As at June 2026, VALCO recorded a net loss of $0.52m.
With less than three-quarters of its 2025 capacity online, workers, unions, and policy makers are warning that urgent intervention is needed to prevent a total shutdown.
Background
VALCO, Ghana’s only aluminium smelter and a key asset in Government’s plan for an integrated aluminium industry under GIADEC, has struggled for years with inconsistent power, aging equipment, and working capital shortages.
The latest breakdowns have further reduced output and deepened fears of a total shutdown if urgent intervention is not made.
GIADEC and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources are yet to comment on the latest developments.
By: Emmanuel Kojo Marfo, Energy/Mining Consultant