Burkina Faso surged its national gold production to 90.80 tonnes in 2025.
The West African nation lifted output from 60.77 tonnes in 2024, achieving a jump of nearly 50%, Business Insider Africa reported based on Ministry of Mines data. Much of the expansion stemmed from artisanal mining, where production surged by 448% from 7.13 tonnes to 39.11 tonnes. Industrial mining operations also increased, rising from 13 to 15 over the same period.
This production surge translated into higher earnings, with sector revenue climbing 66.3% to nearly $1.7 billion in 2025 compared to about $1 billion a year earlier. Separate reporting by Modern Ghana said that national gold exports reached roughly $10.1 billion that same year.
The military government under President Ibrahim Traoré is simultaneously tightening control over how these minerals are traded. More than $6 billion worth of gold passed through official channels during the first six months of 2026, according to figures presented during the mid-year evaluation of Energy, Mines and Quarries Minister Yacouba Zabré Gouba’s performance contract.
SONASP Purchases Gold from Industrial and Artisanal Mines
Industrial mines produced 26 tonnes of fine gold during the first half of 2026, while the state-owned National Precious Substances Company (SONASP) purchased approximately 29 tonnes from artisanal and semi-mechanized miners. SONASP purchases already approached two-thirds of its 45-tonne target for the full year.
Authorities have established nine artisanal mining cooperatives across different regions and identified four mining corridors under the country’s new Mining Code. Officials also stepped up controls over gold pouring, weighing, and packaging while dismantling illegal trading networks.
In September 2026, President Traoré inaugurated the Raffinerie Nationale d’Or du Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou, the country’s first gold refinery. Constructed at an estimated cost of 11 billion CFA francs, equivalent to $19 million, the state-backed facility possesses an initial annual processing capacity of 164 tonnes.
“Our ambition goes beyond gold,” Traoré said at the inauguration. “We want to make the mining sector a driver of industrial transformation,” the Burkina Faso head of state added.
Modern Ghana said that six industrial mines are now majority locally owned, three are under direct state control, and a fully state-run mine opened at Yako in July 2026.
Gulf Capital and Foreign Partnerships
Gold’s growing economic footprint is drawing foreign investors from beyond traditional Western partners, including Saudi Arabia. On August 30, Burkina Faso’s ambassador in Riyadh, Boukary Savadogo, met with Nouf Ali Alsalaten Al Qhatani, head of the Saudi investment company Sarmady Co., to discuss mining partnerships.
Sarmady was subsequently invited to submit a formal investment dossier, though Modern Ghana reported that no deal, license, or equity stake had been formally announced. Russia maintains a foothold through mining leases granted to firms like Nordgold.
| Metric / Event | 2024 Data | 2025–2026 Data |
|---|---|---|
| National Gold Production | 60.77 tonnes (2024) | 90.80 tonnes (2025) |
| Artisanal Mining Production | 7.13 tonnes (2024) | 39.11 tonnes (2025) |
| Industrial Mining Operations | 13 operations (2024) | 15 operations (2025) |
| Sector Revenue | ~$1 billion (2024) | ~$1.7 billion (2025) |
