Unlicensed Jewellers, Fabricators, And Refiners Face Deadline or Jail
By Prince Ahenkorah
The Gold Board (GoldBod) has fired a warning shot at players in the country’s gold value chain, announcing a sweeping licensing regime that could see unregistered jewellers, fabricators, and refiners hauled before the law if they fail to comply by December 31, 2025.
In a no-nonsense statement issued Tuesday, October 22, and signed by its Media Relations Officer, GoldBod declared the official opening of applications for Jewellery and Fabrication Licences under Categories A, B, and C, as well as Refinery Licences.
The move, the Board says, is part of a broader push to sanitize the downstream gold sector and enforce the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
NO LICENSE, NO BUSINESS
GoldBod minced no words: anyone operating in gold trading, jewellery manufacturing, fabrication, or refining without a valid GoldBod licence is breaking the law and will be treated as such. The Board emphasized that all previous licences issued by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources are now null and void under the new legal framework.
“All existing operators must regularize their status under the new Act by the end of the year,” the statement warned. “There will be no extensions. After December 31, 2025, any entity operating without a valid GoldBod licence will be committing a criminal offence.”
DIGITAL OR NOTHING
In a bid to streamline the process and eliminate backdoor dealings, GoldBod says all applications must be submitted online via [www.goldbod.gov.gh](http://www.goldbod.gov.gh). Manual submissions? Not accepted. Walk-ins? Not entertained.
Applicants are expected to upload a slew of documents, including business registration certificates, KYC details, beneficial ownership disclosures, tax and SSNIT clearance certificates, operational permits, and proof of operational readiness. Fees must be paid through approved electronic channels.
WHO GETS WHAT
GoldBod broke down the licensing structure as follows: License Type, Eligibility Scope.
‘Category A’-Ghanaian sole proprietors and small-scale jeweler businesses Local sales only
‘Category B’- Fully Ghanaian-owned medium-sized manufacturers Local and export markets.
‘Category C’- Large-scale local and foreign companies Local and export markets Refinery Licence Entities seeking to operate gold refineries Refining operations Applicants will receive automated updates on their application status and interview schedules via email and their online accounts.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
GoldBod’s licensing blitz is part of a broader effort to formalize Ghana’s lucrative but loosely regulated gold sector.
With billions at stake and a history of shadowy operations, the Board is under pressure to clean house and fast.
Industry insiders say the new regime could shake out fly-by-night operators and bring long-overdue order to a sector often plagued by opacity and under-the-table deals.
But with the deadline looming and the rules now crystal clear, the message from GoldBod is simple: get licensed or get out.