• State company DRC Gold Trading aims to collect 15 tonnes of artisanal gold in 2026, far above volumes declared in recent years.
• The company plans to expand operations across eight additional provinces to channel informal production into official markets.
• Rising gold prices and stronger regional reforms in Ghana and Burkina Faso are pushing governments to capture more revenue from artisanal mining.

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo aims to strengthen the official trade of artisanal gold and align with a regional surge observed in West Africa. State-owned company DRC Gold Trading has maintained its target of collecting 15 tonnes of artisanal gold in 2026.

This objective significantly exceeds the volumes officially declared during the past three years.

Authorities expect the expansion of official trading channels to help the country match the momentum observed in Burkina Faso and Ghana, where reforms have boosted artisanal gold production.

Since its creation in 2022 as the official buyer of artisanal gold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC Gold Trading has collected only about 10 tonnes of gold from artisanal miners.

This result illustrates the challenges that many African countries face when attempting to channel production from a largely informal sector. However, the company has accelerated its activities since the start of the year by expanding operations across a broader part of the national territory.

On Monday, March 9, DRC Gold Trading told Reuters that it plans to extend its activities to eight additional provinces. The expansion aims to respond to growing international demand. More than 45 foreign buyers have reportedly expressed interest in purchasing Congolese gold.The company opened a new branch in Lubumbashi, located in Haut-Katanga Province, in February.

#RDC Haut-Katanga : une première historique!

Pour la première fois, le Haut-Katanga exporte officiellement de l’or artisanal, grâce à l’ouverture à Lubumbashi d’une succursale de DRC GOLD Trading SA.

Objectif 2026 : 15 tonnes d’or exportées et +2,6 milliards USD rapatriés dans… pic.twitter.com/O4B64TuL1o

— DRC GOLD TRADING SA (@DrcGoldTrading) February 10, 2026

Media outlet Bankable also reported that the company plans to open additional offices in Mbujimayi and Kinshasa before the end of March. Although these initiatives illustrate gradual expansion, the strategy that supports the 2026 commercial target will still need to prove its effectiveness.

Nevertheless, similar reforms have already produced strong results elsewhere in the region. In Burkina Faso, the expansion of activities by the Société Nationale des Substances Précieuses helped more than quadruple artisanal gold production, which reached 42 tonnes last year.

A comparable trend has emerged in Ghana, where reforms led by the GoldBod increased artisanal gold volumes by 60% to 96.4 tonnes.

Securing Revenue in a Rising Gold Market

The success of DRC Gold Trading could play a key role in structuring the artisanal gold sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Authorities expect the initiative to direct more gold toward official channels. This shift could reduce smuggling losses and increase mining revenues.

The company projects revenue of more than $2.6 billion in 2026. A strong gold market also supports the strategy. Analysts expect gold prices to remain near record highs through the end of the year.

The strategy also supports broader monetary policy objectives. Artisanal gold collected by DRC Gold Trading will contribute to the country’s national reserves. Authorities recently reinforced this approach through a partnership with the Central Bank of the Congo, which has become the priority buyer of gold acquired by the state company. A similar mechanism already operates in Ghana, where the GoldBod collaborates with the Bank of Ghana.

#RDC Par la signature de ce partenariat stratégique avec la Banque Centrale du Congo, @DrcGoldTrading SA franchit une étape décisive en étant consacrée fournisseur exclusif d’or artisanal destiné à la constitution des réserves de change.

Cette collaboration s’inscrit pleinement… pic.twitter.com/9YBjTwqwPR

— DRC GOLD TRADING SA (@DrcGoldTrading) February 22, 2026

Artisanal gold has become increasingly important across several African economies. Countries such as Ghana and Burkina Faso are accelerating reforms that aim to formalize production and capture more value from the sector.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo now faces a pivotal moment. Authorities must successfully channel artisanal output into official markets if they want to achieve the objectives that led to the creation of DRC Gold Trading.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou