By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Ghana’s state-owned GoldBod has directed that artisanal gold dore bought by self-financing aggregators must be refined domestically, saying export has been banned with effect from 1 September.
The order is a step further towards the gold-rich country’s efforts to derive more value from the industry and strengthen oversight of the artisanal mining sector.
The Africa’s largest gold producer had last year established GoldBod as the sole authorised buyer and exporter of artisanal gold.
Under the new rules, gold purchased by self-financing aggregators through agreements with approved off-takers must be processed at refineries approved by GoldBod.
Export applications will only be considered once local refining has been completed, authorities said.
Aggregators have until 31 August to amend existing off-take agreements to reflect the requirement.
GoldBod said exporters must also show that refining charges have been paid and that regulatory and export requirements have been satisfied. Refining costs will be borne by either the aggregator or the approved off-taker.
Companies that fail to comply will face sanctions, including the revocation of their licences.
The measure comes as West African gold-producing countries increasingly seek to retain more mineral-processing revenue domestically.
GoldBod exported 104 metric tons of artisanal gold in 2025 and expects to match or exceed that volume this year.
