Ghana’s gold sector faces its biggest audit in years as Africa redefines mining control

Ghana, Africa’s leading gold producer, has launched its most extensive mining audit in a decade, marking a bold move to tighten oversight and reclaim revenue from some of the world’s largest mining firms

A government letter seen by Reuters says the Minerals Commission will deploy teams of government auditors, forensic accountants and independent consultants in a nationwide physical and financial review running from November 1, 2025, to June 2026.

The probe will scrutinise production volumes, mineral flows, tax and royalty payments and environmental compliance at sites run by major gold miners which include Newmont (US), Zijin (China), AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields (South Africa), Perseus (Australia), Asante Gold (Canada) and others.

The audit begins with Gold Fields’ Damang mine and Perseus in November and ends with Xtra-Gold’s Kibi unit in June 2026.

Ghana’s mining sector is central to its economic rebound. Mining generated 17.7 billion cedis ($1.68 billion) in 2024 after output surged 25.1%, and authorities expect production to reach 5.1 million ounces this year.

Officials say the audit aims to close reporting gaps that have eroded public revenues while restoring trust in sector governance.

Across the continent, governments are moving beyond audit letters to reshape how minerals are governed.

From Zimbabwe’s lithium policy shifts to the DRC’s cobalt contract reviews and the Alliance of Sahel States, where Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are advancing nationalisation and prompting the exit of some foreign operators, a clearer pattern is emerging.

Across the continent, governments are enforcing stronger oversight, tougher revenue rules and a renewed drive to capture local value. These moves show that African states are no longer passive sellers of raw materials but active architects of a new, fairer resource order.

Ghana’s audit offers a pragmatic playbook for others: rigorous verification of production and payments, tighter licence conditions, and clearer community revenue sharing.

If properly implemented, audits can translate into higher royalties, better environmental standards, and more local jobs, especially when paired with shorter licence terms and mandatory host-community agreements, the Mines Ministry is proposing.

The risk, however, is investor flight if reforms feel arbitrary or punitive. The policy task for Accra and peers is to combine credible enforcement with transparent rules that bolster, not shatter investor confidence.