West Africa’s gold market is witnessing significant policy and structural shifts as governments seek greater control over production, licensing and value capture. In Mali, authorities have extended Barrick Gold’s mining permit at the Loulo-Gounkoto complex by another decade.
Meanwhile in Ghana, the Gold Board has suspended selected categories of gold buying licence applications with immediate effect and back home in Nigeria, NGX-listed Japaul Gold and Ventures is test running its gold processing plant in Niger state as the company transitions into active mining and processing.
Nere Emiko, Vice Chairman of Kian Smith Refinery joins CNBC Africa to unpack what these moves mean for the region.