Ghana will stop allowing exports of unrefined artisanal gold dore starting September 1, as regulators move to force more processing to happen inside the country.
The country’s Gold Board, GoldBod, said Monday that any artisanal gold dore bought by self-financing aggregators for export must first be refined at refineries approved by the board. Under the new rule, export applications will not be considered until the gold is refined in Ghana.
Self-financing aggregators are licensed buyers that source gold with their own funds. GoldBod has told them to update existing off-take agreements with approved buyers by August 31 to include the local refining requirement.
The board said it will only sign off on exports after confirming three things: that the gold was refined locally, that refining fees have been paid, and that all assay and regulatory requirements are met. The cost of refining will fall to either the aggregator or the approved off-taker.
Companies that do not comply risk sanctions, including having their licence revoked, GoldBod warned.
The directive is the latest effort by GoldBod to tighten control over Ghana’s large artisanal mining sector. The government created GoldBod last year as the sole authorised buyer and exporter of artisanal gold, a move aimed at boosting production and foreign exchange earnings.
Ghana is Africa’s top gold producer. GoldBod said it exported 104 metric tons of artisanal gold in 2025 and expects to match or beat that this year.
The policy mirrors a wider push across the region to capture more value from mineral exports by processing them domestically before shipment.
