Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traore has inaugurated the country’s first gold refinery in Ouagadougou, marking a major step in the government’s efforts to expand local processing and retain more value from its mineral resources.
Key Highlights:
Burkina Faso has launched its first gold refinery in Ouagadougou.
The $19 million facility can process 164 tonnes of gold annually.
The refinery aims to keep more value from gold production within the country.
Gold remains Burkina Faso’s leading export, with 94 tonnes produced in 2025.
President Traoré says the project will give Burkina Faso greater control over its mineral resources.
Named RAFFINOR-BF, the refinery was inaugurated on Monday, at a ceremony attended by government officials and other stakeholders.
The facility, which cost 11 billion CFA francs (about $19 million), was financed by the Burkinabe government through the National Precious Substances Company, in partnership with private investors.
With an initial processing capacity of 164 tonnes of gold annually, RAFFINOR-BF was built to international standards and will refine dore gold into fine-gold bars with a purity of 99.9 per cent.
The refinery is equipped with a foundry, an analysis laboratory, a secure storage facility and a jewellery-making unit.
The Burkinabe government said the project is expected to strengthen local gold processing, increase value addition within the country and improve the structure of gold marketing.
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Speaking at the inauguration, Traore described the refinery as an important development in Burkina Faso’s drive to gain greater control over its strategic resources.
In the facility’s guest book, the President said the project demonstrated Burkina Faso’s determination to regulate strategic sectors with high economic potential and make them a foundation for prosperity.
Traore said the country’s natural resources should provide greater benefits to its people, stressing that the government would continue building the capacity required to control the extractive industry and position Burkina Faso as a major reference in Africa.
Gold mining has become a major pillar of Burkina Faso’s economy, with the country’s mining sector recording sustained growth since 2009.
Gold is currently the country’s leading export product, ahead of cotton.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Burkina Faso produced 94 tonnes of gold in 2025, with 15 industrial mines and several semi-mechanised operations in production.
The government also announced in May 2026 the establishment of a sovereign mining fund known as Siniyan-Sigui, aimed at financing structural investments.
The inauguration of RAFFINOR-BF is expected to further expand Burkina Faso’s participation in the gold value chain while increasing the share of economic benefits retained within the country.
