Ghana’s GoldBod has ordered that artisanal gold dore bought by self-financing aggregators must be refined domestically before export from 1 September.
The directive marks another step in Ghana’s efforts to capture more value from its gold industry and strengthen oversight of the artisanal mining sector.
Ghana, Africa’s largest gold producer, established GoldBod last year 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 or designated by GoldBod.
Export applications will only be considered once local refining has been completed.
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 could 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.
