Ghana bans foreigners, individuals from local gold trading beginning May 1, 2025

Beginning May 1, 2025, all foreigners and individuals have been banned from trading in the local gold market in Ghana, the Ghana Gold Board has announced.

This means that all other traders in the local gold market cannot deal and be in the gold trading business as the Ghana Goldbod now has the exclusive authority to regulate and control artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

Any foreigner or individual who wants to continue to be in the trade will have to “apply to the Ghana GoldBod to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod.”

Under the Ghana Gold Board Act (ACT 1140), 2025, passed by Parliament on March 29, 2025 and assented to by the President on April 2, 2025, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) is currently, the sole buyer, seller, assayer and exporter of all gold produced by the licensed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector in Ghana, it has been announced.

Grace period 

As part of measures to ensure a smooth transition, the Ghana Gold Board has resolved to allow for gold purchases and exports by persons holding appropriate licenses issued to them by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) and/or the Minister Responsible for Mines until April 30, 2025.  

The introduction of the Ghana Goldbod is part of reforms aimed at boosting foreign exchange reserves and stabilising the local currency - the Ghana cedi.

A press statement dated April 14, 2025 and issued by the new GoldBod on Monday afternoon stated, "all licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) and/or the Minister responsible for Mines to a person other than a large scale mining company to deal in gold, have ceased to be valid", following the passage of the Ghana Gold Board Act (Act 1140).  

"...Pursuant to the Ghana Gold Board Act (ACT 1140), 2025, passed by Parliament on 29th March, 2025 and assented to by the President of the Republic on 2nd April 2025, all licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) and/or the Minister responsible for Mines to a person other than a large scale mining company to deal in gold, have ceased to be valid," it stated.  

This means that no person other than the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), is permitted to export Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) gold from Ghana. 

Also, no person other than the GoldBod or a licensed buyer or aggregator or service provider of the GoldBod, is permitted to purchase or deal in gold in Ghana, it added.  

It has therefore been explained that to ensure a smooth transition and respect for existing contractual obligations between licensed gold buyers and their off-takers, the Ghana Gold Board has resolved to allow for gold purchases and exports by persons holding appropriate licenses issued to them by the PMMC and/or the Minister Responsible for Mines until April 30, 2025.  

For the time being, all licensed persons or entities buying gold from the local market, must do so in Ghana cedis and at a price calculated based on the Bank of Ghana Reference Rate it stated.  

• Related article
• GOLDBOD: Parliament passes Ghana Gold Board Act to boost forex reserves and stabilise cedi
• Goldbod to take over small-scale gold exports — Sammy Gyamfi explains new policy

Attached below is a full copy of the press statement

PRESS STATEMENT  
14TH APRIL, 2025 

1. The general public is respectfully  informed, that pursuant to the Ghana Gold Board Act (ACT 1140), 2025, passed by Parliament on 29th March, 2025 and assented to by the President of the Republic on 2nd April 2025, all licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) and/or the Minister responsible for Mines to a person other than a large scale mining company to deal in gold, have ceased to be valid.  

2. The GoldBod is currently, the sole buyer, seller, assayer and exporter of all gold produced by the licensed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector.  

3. As such, no person other than the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), is permitted to export ASM gold from Ghana. Also, no person other than the GoldBod or a licensed buyer or aggregator or service provider of the GoldBod, is permitted to purchase or deal in gold in the country.  

4. However, to ensure a smooth transition and respect for existing contractual obligations between licensed gold buyers and their off-takers, the Ghana Gold Board has resolved to allow for gold purchases and exports by persons holding appropriate licenses issued to them by the PMMC and/or the Minister Responsible for Mines until 30th April, 2025.  

5. For the time being, all licensed persons or entities buying gold from the local market, must do so in Ghana cedis and at a price calculated based on the Bank of Ghana Reference Rate published on www.bog.gov.gh.  

6. Any Ghanaian or a fully-owned Ghanaian company whose license has ceased to be valid and/or any Ghanaian who is desirous of dealing in gold, is encouraged to apply for a license under the Ghana Gold Board Act (ACT 1140), 2025 effective, Tuesday, 22nd April, 2025.

7. An application for a GoldBod license may be done online, via the website of the GoldBod (to be activated and published on the effective date for license applications, 22nd April, 2025) or physically at the GoldBod Licensing and Regulations office located at our head office in Accra. 

8. All foreigners are hereby notified to exit the local gold trading market not later than 30th April, 2025. A foreigner may however apply to the GoldBod to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod. 

9. It is worthy of note, that it shall constitute a punishable offense for a person to purchase or deal in gold in the country without a license issued by the Ghana 

Gold Board, effective 1st May, 2025.  
Thank you.  
SIGNED. 

Prince Kwame Minkah
(Media Relations Officer, GoldBod)

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh 

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