The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has directed all foreigners engaged in the domestic trading of gold to exit the market not later than Wednesday, 30th April 2025, it has said in a statement on Monday. The statement added though that foreigners who wish to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod may have to apply for licence on its website.

The GoldBod also announced that all licences issued by its predecessor, Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), or “sector minister responsible for mines to a person other than large scale mining company to deal in gold” are no longer valid. This makes GoldBod, established by an Act of Parliament in March 2025, the sole buyer, seller, assayer and exporter of all gold produced by the licensed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector currently, and as such, “no person other than the Ghana Gold Board is permitted to export ASM gold from Ghana”, the statement continued.

The Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140) was passed on 29th March 2025 and assented to by President John Mahama on 2nd April 2025. The Act permits the GoldBod and its licensed buyers, aggregators or service providers to purchase or deal in gold in Ghana barring any individual person from that activity.

Meanwhile, between now and April 30, the Gold Board is allowing for gold purchases and exports by holders of appropriate licenses issued to them by PMMC or the sector Minister, to ensure a smooth transition while respecting existing contracts between licenced gold buyers and their off-takers. However, any Ghanaian or a fully-owned Ghanaian company with an expired licence is encouraged to apply for one effective Tuesday, April 22. Anybody caught operating without a Ghana Gold Board-issued licenced on the effective date, 1 May 2025 would be punished in accordance with law.