The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has officially commenced the licensing of service providers in the country’s gold trading sector, in a move aimed at restructuring and streamlining the industry for greater national benefit.

Announcing the new development in a statement released on Wednesday, the GoldBod indicated that Ghanaians aged 18 and above, as well as wholly Ghanaian-owned companies, are now eligible to apply for licenses either online at www.goldbod.gov.gh or in person at the Board’s main office in Accra.

The categories of licenses available immediately include:

Aggregator License

Self-financing Aggregator License

Buyer License (Tier 1)

Buyer License (Tier 2)

Additional licenses — including those for refining, smelting, fabrication, storage, transportation, and importation — will be available starting July 2025.

The GoldBod emphasised that applicants must read and agree to the terms and conditions attached to each license category before submission.

Comprehensive information on licensing requirements, policies, and operational guidelines is available on the GoldBod website.

In a major policy shift, the GoldBod reiterated its earlier directive requiring all foreigners to exit the local gold trading market by April 30, 2025.

Violations of this directive will be subject to penalties under the Ghana GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140).

Foreign entities, however, may apply to off-take gold directly from the Board.

Furthermore, the Board reminded all traders to strictly adhere to the official Bank of Ghana reference rate when buying or selling gold, as part of efforts to stabilise and regulate pricing within the sector.

“We look forward to working with all stakeholders to optimize the benefits of Ghana’s gold resources,” said Prince Kwame Minkah, Media Relations Officer for GoldBod.

“The public’s cooperation and feedback will remain critical to the success of this regulatory exercise.”

The GoldBod was established to oversee, regulate, and promote transparency within Ghana’s gold trading ecosystem.