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By Britant News
Published: September 30, 2026
Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery as the West African country moves to process more of its mineral wealth domestically and strengthen state control over the gold sector.
President Ibrahim Traoré inaugurated the Raffinor-BF refinery in the capital, Ouagadougou, on Monday. The facility is part of the government’s broader effort to reduce dependence on foreign processing and retain more value from the country’s gold production.
The refinery has an initial capacity to process 164 tonnes of gold annually, with plans to increase its capacity to 515 tonnes, according to the Burkinabe presidency. Burkina Faso produced about 94 tonnes of gold last year, according to authorities.
Built on a five-hectare site, the refinery cost more than 11 billion CFA francs, or around $19 million. The project was financed by the government, including through the National Precious Metals Company (SONASP), together with private-sector investment.
The facility is intended to handle activities including gold processing, testing, certification and secure storage within Burkina Faso. The government says bringing more of the gold value chain inside the country will help increase domestic economic benefits from the sector.
Burkina Faso is one of West Africa’s major gold producers, but its mining industry has faced challenges from informal mining, smuggling and prolonged extremist violence.
The refinery is also part of a broader shift among West African gold-producing countries toward greater domestic control over mineral resources. Guinea and Ghana have taken steps to restrict exports of unrefined gold, while Mali is developing a refinery and Ivory Coast has announced plans for one.
The opening comes amid continued political and security challenges in Burkina Faso. Traoré came to power following a military coup in 2022, and his government has faced international criticism and allegations related to human rights abuses and restrictions on political dissent and independent media.
Source: Associated Press (AP)
