Guinea: Gold exports now subject to stricter controls

Guinea is strengthening controls on its gold exports. A new decree, made public on national television on Friday, October 2, 2026, now requires that gold intended for export be refined in an approved facility located within Guinean territory.

The system assigns the Guinean Office of Expertise and Evaluation of Gold, Diamonds and Other Precious Materials (OGED) a central role in the authorization process. Operators will be required to provide refining certificates, metal analysis reports, information regarding the theft, as well as tax documents and evidence attesting to the legitimate origin of the gold.

Control begins at the refinery. The weighing, packaging and sealing of batches will be carried out under the joint supervision of Customs, the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea, OGED and the Anti-Fraud Brigade.

Once sealed, the package must be transported under escort to the airport or remain secure in the refinery's vaults for a maximum of 15 days.

The tax aspect is also strengthened. Export authorization will be conditional upon prior payment of production taxes, calculated in particular according to the weight and actual content of the metal, based on the afternoon reference price of the London Metal Exchange (LBMA).

Refineries will also be required to regularly submit their data on titration, yield, and technical losses to government agencies. If any discrepancies are found during inspections, they will have 72 hours to rectify the outstanding amounts.

Through this new system, the Guinean authorities are thus strengthening the traceability of gold, from its processing to its exit from the territory.

Djamila Kambou