Sudan Moves to Regulate Gold Sector with Foreign Assistance
Sudan is tightening control over its booming gold market to curb smuggling and boost legitimacy, with production hitting over 64 tonnes in 2024.
Sudan’s government has launched a surprise effort to regulate its gold market, aiming to curb rampant smuggling and attract global accreditation for its precious metals.
In 2024, Sudan produced more than 64 tonnes of gold, according to the Sudanese Minister of Finance Gibril Ibrahim, who told Reuters that 31 tonnes of that were officially exported.
Officials say the reform drive includes securing “global certification” for its gold, which would allow Sudan to access international markets more competitively.
The government is also reportedly in discussions with Türkiye where Sudan’s Deputy Finance Minister Mohamed Nour Abdelkarim met with Fatih Karahan, Governor of the Turkish Central Bank, to discuss cooperation on mining and refining gold to international standards.
According to the Sudanese Ministry of Finance, the Turkish central bank governor agreed to consider writing off past debts and providing technical assistance and training — steps that could strengthen Sudan’s capacity to manage its mineral resources.
The Sudanese side views such support as vital to the gold sector, one of the country’s most important sources of foreign currency amid an economic crisis.
Despite the potential windfall, the gold business is far from orderly. Mohamed Taher, Director-General of the state-owned Sudan Mineral Resources Company, recently said that although more than 100 firms are formally registered in the mining sector, only 13 companies actively produce gold. He said unregulated artisanal mining has proliferated since the conflict began in April 2023, with many operations flouting environmental and legal rules. These informal miners, he warned, sometimes use their “traditional mining” licence as a cover for other illegal activity.
Taher added that the next phase will involve “serious steps” to re‑organise the sector, strengthen compliance, and boost returns to the state treasury.
He said Sudan is targeting 80 tonnes of gold production by the end of this year, with projected revenues of around US$3 billion.
Meanwhile, production momentum remains strong. In the first half of 2025 alone, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company reported about 37 tonnes of gold produced. The company also said that 40 public companies are currently operating in the sector, and that artisanal mining accounts for some 80 per cent of the mining area — a striking scale of informal activity.
With more than half of Sudan’s gold reportedly smuggled out, formalising and certifying the industry could shore up state revenues and reduce illicit outflows.
Chatham House, in a recent report, noted that gold production in army‑held areas rose to some 64.36 tonnes in 2024, while official exports fetched nearly US$1.6 billion.
Still, risks remain. A June 2025 mine collapse in eastern Sudan killed 11 artisanal miners, underscoring persistent safety challenges in poorly regulated shafts. The hazard is heightened as demand surges and production scales up under strained oversight.
Sudan’s bet on gold comes at a time of deep economic malaise. The country’s currency is under pressure, public finances are stretched, and conflict continues to disrupt broader economic activity. By bringing gold mining under tighter control and winning international certification, Khartoum aims not only to stem the smuggling but also to re‑assert state authority and capitalise on its mineral wealth.
Reporting by Awad Mustafa