Weir deepens local capability to support West Africa’s evolving mining sector
Local skills development and energy-efficient technologies underpin Weir’s long-term strategy in the region
As West Africa’s mining industry accelerates its shift toward efficiency, sustainability and technology integration, Weir is strengthening its regional footprint by embedding local expertise and operational capacity closer to customers.
The company has invested heavily in training and skills development to ensure consistent, reliable service delivery across the region.
“Weir has proactively invested in training and skills development to build talent to meet operational demands in the region,” Andrew Ayirebi, Weir’s Regional Manager for West Africa, explains. “This commitment ensures seamless service delivery, regardless of where our customers are located.”
Local capability has become increasingly important as mining jurisdictions emphasise local economic participation and expect OEMs to operate near active mine sites. Weir’s operations in Ghana and Senegal are fully managed by local teams, with an on-the-ground presence in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria.
“In line with Weir’s philosophy of thinking globally and acting locally, we prioritise developing our people – who are key to delivering sustainable value,” Ayirebi says.
Weir supports key West African commodities including gold, bauxite, iron ore, and lithium, and is transitioning toward configured-to-order systems to reduce lead times and strengthen supply chain stability.
The company also works alongside miners throughout the asset lifecycle, providing on-site services across comminution, classification, slurry handling, and dewatering.
Energy efficiency is a major focus, particularly in grinding. “In terms of comminution, grinding is one of the most energy intensive steps in mining,” he explains.
“Our ENDURON high-pressure grinding roll (HPGR) technology reduces energy consumption in comminution applications, saving up to 40% in energy consumption compared to traditional SAG mill technology.”
At Endeavour’s Lafigué gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire, the ENDURON® HPGR has achieved over 97% operating availability, delivering annual energy savings of US$2.6 million while reducing emissions by approximately 18,500 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Beyond comminution, Weir continues to improve energy efficiency across its equipment portfolio through R&D, including WRT® technology for WARMAN® pumps, GEHO® positive displacement pumps and its NEXT digital solutions, which provide real-time equipment insights.
The recent acquisition of Micromine further strengthens Weir’s digital mining capabilities as sustainability and operational optimisation remain central to mining in West Africa.
