Africa’s largest gold producer widens lead over Mali and Burkina Faso as gold exports hit record $20 billion

According to the Ghana Statistical Service, gold accounted for 63.1% of Ghana’s merchandise exports in 2025, up from 39% in 2004, cementing its position as the country’s dominant export earner.

The GSS report, released on August 11, 2026, shows that gold generated about $20.2 billion in export earnings, more than double the combined $7.9 billion from cocoa and crude oil.

The surge also strengthened Ghana’s position as Africa’s largest gold producer, with output reaching a record six million ounces, or about 187 tonnes, in 2025.

By comparison, Burkina Faso produced about 94 tonnes, Sudan around 70 tonnes, while Mali recorded 48.2 tonnes.

Ghana’s record performance was supported by stronger artisanal and small-scale production, tighter regulation of the domestic gold trade and elevated global prices.

Consequently, gold export earnings nearly doubled from about $10.3 billion in 2024 to $20.2 billion in 2025, reinforcing the metal’s importance to Ghana’s foreign exchange inflows and wider economic recovery.

Notably, a key part of the increase followed the creation of the Ghana Gold Board, or GoldBod, in 2025.

The agency centralised the buying, assaying and export of gold from artisanal and small-scale miners, while foreign traders were restricted from participating directly in the domestic small-scale gold market.

Authorities also introduced tighter licensing requirements as Accra sought to reduce smuggling and ensure more export proceeds returned through official channels.

Consequently, small-scale production rose by more than 60% in 2025, while the sector overtook large-scale miners in official gold exports.

GoldBod channelled more than 100 tonnes of small-scale gold into formal exports, generating over $10 billion in foreign exchange.

Ghana has since extended the strategy to large-scale producers, requiring mining companies from July 2026 to sell 30% of their output domestically, up from 20%, to strengthen reserves and retain more value locally.

Elsewhere in West Africa, governments are also seeking greater returns from gold, although their strategies differ.

Mali has tightened its mining code, increased taxes and expanded state participation in projects.

The government recovered about $1.2 billion in mining-related arrears, although disputes with operators contributed to a decline in industrial production in 2025.

Burkina Faso, meanwhile, has pursued greater state ownership, expanded the role of state miner SOPAMIB and taken control of several mining assets.

Ghana, however, has placed greater emphasis on formalising gold trading, capturing foreign exchange and increasing central-bank purchases.

The increase in gold earnings has also supported Ghana’s economic recovery following its 2022 debt crisis.

The country entered a $3 billion IMF programme in 2023 as it sought to restore fiscal stability, rebuild reserves and restructure its debt.

By 2026, foreign reserves had strengthened, the cedi had recovered from earlier losses and Ghana completed the final review of the programme, unlocking about $371 million.

Accra has since sought continued IMF oversight under a non-financing arrangement as it works to consolidate the recovery.

However, Ghana’s growing reliance on gold leaves the economy exposed to swings in global prices and the financial costs of large state purchasing programmes.

Still, higher output, elevated prices and tighter regulation have made gold increasingly important to Ghana’s export earnings, foreign-exchange reserves and broader economic recovery.