Ghana earned US$12.5 billion from gold exports during the first half of 2026, reinforcing the mineral’s position as the country’s largest foreign exchange earner, according to the latest Bank of Ghana Summary of Macroeconomic and Financial Data. The central bank’s data show that total exports reached US$18.29 billion between January and June 2026, with gold …
Ghana’s gold exports hit US$12.5 billion in first half of 2026
Ghana earned US$12.5 billion from gold exports during the first half of 2026, reinforcing the mineral’s position as the country’s largest foreign exchange earner, according to the latest Bank of Ghana Summary of Macroeconomic and Financial Data.
The central bank’s data show that total exports reached US$18.29 billion between January and June 2026, with gold accounting for US$12.50 billion, representing about 68.3% of the country’s total export earnings during the period.
Gold exports significantly outperformed other major export commodities. Cocoa exports amounted to US$2.29 billion, while crude oil exports generated US$1.71 billion. Other exports contributed US$1.79 billion.
The strong performance in gold exports helped Ghana record a trade surplus of US$8.81 billion in the first six months of the year, compared with total imports of US$9.48 billion.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the robust trade performance also supported a current account surplus of US$5.10 billion, equivalent to 3.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The central bank’s data indicate that international gold prices remained elevated during much of the first half of the year, although prices moderated in June. The average international gold price stood at US$4,239.90 per ounce in June, while the realised average price was US$4,121.30 per ounce.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s gross international reserves declined to US$12.94 billion at the end of June 2026 from US$14.16 billion recorded in March, providing five months of import cover.
The Bank of Ghana also reported that the country’s official gold holdings increased to 24.4 tonnes at the end of June, with the value of the reserves rising to US$3.65 billion, up from US$3.04 billion at the end of March.
