Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery as the West African country moves to strengthen state control over its mineral resources and reduce gold smuggling.
The National Gold Refinery, known as RAFFINOR-BF, was inaugurated on Monday.
Burkina Faso is Africa’s third-largest gold producer, with the country producing more than 94 tonnes of gold in 2025, according to the World Gold Council.
The government has struggled to control informal gold mining, which has been affected by smuggling and attacks by jihadist groups.
President Ibrahim Traoré said the government wants to reduce the export of raw minerals and process more of the country’s resources locally.
“Our ambition is no longer to be a country that simply extracts and ships its raw materials abroad,” the presidency quoted Traoré as saying.
The government has nationalised several gold mines and introduced measures to increase domestic processing.
Burkina Faso also suspended gold exports from informal mining operations in 2024 as part of efforts to regulate the sector.
Traoré has previously warned that gold smuggling could help finance terrorist groups operating in the country.
The refinery has been under construction since 2023 and has an annual processing capacity of 164 tonnes. The government plans to eventually increase its capacity to 515 tonnes.
The project cost 11 billion CFA francs, about $19 million, and was funded by the government in partnership with local private investors.
The development comes as Burkina Faso continues to battle jihadist groups, particularly in areas where illegal mining and gold trafficking remain concerns.
