Africa’s biggest gold producer is on track for another record as Ghana’s small-scale miners fuel an $11billion export engine

Ghana’s decision to formalise its artisanal gold sector is delivering one of the biggest success stories in Africa’s mining industry.

The country’s small-scale miners are on course to produce another record amount of gold this year, extending their lead over large commercial mining companies and strengthening Ghana’s economic recovery as Africa’s largest gold producer.

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) said it purchased between 50 and 54 metric tonnes of gold from artisanal and small-scale miners during the first half of 2026 alone, putting the country on track to match or even surpass last year’s record production.

“We are around 50-54 metric tonnes this year. At this rate, we are likely to match or even surpass last year’s output,” GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Samuel Gyamfi told reporters on Tuesday.

The figures highlight how Ghana’s efforts to formalise artisanal mining are helping to reduce gold smuggling, channel more production through official markets and generate billions of dollars in foreign exchange for an economy emerging from its worst financial crisis in decades.