Ghana has climbed to sixth place among the world’s largest gold-producing countries after recording a major increase in gold production in 2025.
The country produced about 185 tonnes of gold in 2025, equivalent to a record 5.94 million ounces, according to the Ghana Chamber of Mines.
The latest figures mean Ghana has overtaken the United States in the global gold production rankings, moving up from its traditional seventh position.
Also read: ‘GoldBod is a very big scandal awaiting us’ – Afenyo-Markin warns
The development was disclosed by Christopher Nyarko, Director of Analysis, Research and Finance at the Ghana Chamber of Mines, in an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, August 17.
“We are number six. We’re number six now, right after Peru. So globally, China, Russia, Australia, Canada, Peru, then Ghana comes in, and then the United States follows,” Mr Nyarko said.
Mr Nyarko explained that Ghana’s rise in the rankings was driven by increased domestic gold production, while the United States experienced a decline in output in 2025.
He attributed part of the US decline to technical challenges affecting mining operations in Nevada, one of the country’s major gold-producing areas.
“Last year [2025], they ran into some technical issues. So production for the country as a whole dropped. And of course, given the dynamics in Ghana, we saw Ghana displace the United States,” he said.
Ghana’s strong performance in gold production in 2025 therefore helped the country move ahead of the United States in the global rankings.
One of the most significant developments in Ghana’s gold sector was the performance of small-scale mining.
According to the Ghana Chamber of Mines, small-scale mining accounted for 52.38 per cent of Ghana’s total gold production in 2025.
This marked the first time in Ghana’s more than 100-year history of commercial gold production that the small-scale mining sector produced more gold than the large-scale mining sector.
The development highlights the growing contribution of small-scale miners to Ghana’s overall gold production and the wider economy.
Ghana is currently ranked behind China, Russia, Australia, Canada and Peru in global gold production. However, the exact order among some of the leading producers can vary depending on the data source used.
Mr Nyarko noted that there can be differences in rankings involving China, Russia and Australia because of variations in production data from different sources.
“Even depending on the kind of source of your data, there’s always some tension between Russia, China, and Australia, in terms of who is the largest producer,” he explained.
Despite those variations, Ghana’s move into sixth position represents a significant improvement in the country’s standing in the global gold industry.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines is also projecting further growth in the country’s gold production in 2026.
National gold output is expected to reach between 6.1 million and 6.7 million ounces this year.
If the projection is achieved, Ghana could strengthen its position among the world’s leading gold-producing countries and further increase the contribution of gold mining to the national economy.
The expected increase comes as Ghana continues to rely heavily on gold as one of its major export commodities and as authorities seek to improve the management of the country’s gold resources.
Ghana’s record gold production of 185 tonnes in 2025 and its rise to sixth place globally therefore mark a major development for the country’s mining industry.