Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery in a major step by the military-led government to process more of the country’s mineral wealth domestically and strengthen state control over the sector.
The refinery, known as Raffinor-BF, was inaugurated in the capital, Ouagadougou, on Monday as Junta leader Ibrahim Traoré’s government seeks to reduce the country’s dependence on exporting raw gold and other minerals for processing abroad.
“We want to refine all our metals on site… we want to have the entire value chain on site,” he said at the plant’s inauguration in the capital, Ouagadougou.
The facility cost more than 11bn CFA francs ($19m; £14m), according to the presidency, which said it was financed by the state through the National Precious Metals Company (Sonasp), in partnership with Burkina Faso’s private sector.
Raffinor-BF will initially be able to process 164 tonnes of gold annually, a capacity that exceeds Burkina Faso’s current yearly production. The government says that capacity could eventually increase to 515 tonnes, opening the possibility of the facility refining gold produced elsewhere in the region.
Mines Minister Yacouba Zabré Gouba described the opening as a turning point in the country’s efforts to retain more value from its natural resources.
“This is the day we take back the keys to our own house,” Mines Minister Yacouba Zabré Gouba said at the opening.
“Our gold will no longer be used to create added value for others while our people remain in need.”
Burkina Faso is among Africa’s major gold producers, with production continuing to increase. The World Gold Council reported a 17% year-on-year rise in the country’s gold output in the second quarter of 2026, driven by higher production at several mines.
However, the government has faced persistent challenges in monitoring artisanal and small-scale mining, where informal trading and gold smuggling have made it difficult to determine the full scale of production.
Authorities have also linked some illegally traded gold to the financing of Islamist militant groups. Burkina Faso has been battling armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State for years, with parts of the country remaining outside full government control.
The government suspended exports of gold from artisanal and semi-mechanised mines in 2024 as part of efforts to bring the sector under tighter regulation. Traoré has also accused smugglers of illegally moving significant quantities of gold out of the country and said proceeds from the trade could support militant groups.
The refinery is part of a broader economic strategy pursued by Traoré since he seized power in a September 2022 coup. The 38-year-old army captain has promoted greater domestic control over strategic industries while reducing reliance on foreign companies and former Western partners.
As gold production has grown, the government established a state-owned mining company two years ago. Foreign mining companies are also now required to give the state a 15% stake in their operations and provide training for local workers.
The push extends beyond gold, with the government seeking to expand domestic processing in sectors including cotton, textiles and food production rather than exporting commodities in their raw form.
The global gold market has also provided favourable conditions for the government’s strategy. World mine production reached an estimated record 3,672 tonnes in 2025, according to the World Gold Council, while international gold prices have remained historically high.
The government says Raffinor-BF could ultimately process all the gold produced by Burkina Faso’s industrial and artisanal miners.
Burkina Faso’s plans are part of a wider move across West Africa to retain more value from gold production. Guinea and Ghana have introduced restrictions on exports of unrefined gold, while Mali is developing its first refinery with support from a Russian company. Ivory Coast is also planning to open a gold refinery next year.
(BBC News)