Ghana is taking a major step toward greater control of its gold industry. From September 1, 2026, artisanal gold doré purchased through licensed self-financing aggregators must be refined inside Ghana before export.

President John Mahama’s policy follows a wider African movement championed by leaders such as Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré: African countries should process more of their natural resources at home instead of exporting them in raw form.

Ghana earned more than $20 billion from gold exports in 2025. But can local refining create more jobs, retain more value, strengthen the cedi and reduce gold smuggling? Or will high costs, limited capacity and international certification become major obstacles?

In this video, we examine Ghana’s new gold policy, Mahama’s bigger plan, Burkina Faso’s gold reforms and the growing battle over who truly controls Africa’s mineral wealth.

Do you believe African countries should completely stop exporting raw minerals? Share your opinion in the comments.

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