Sudan bans private gold exports, central bank to be sole buyer
September 15, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s central bank on Monday banned all private gold exports, announcing it would become the sole legal buyer and exporter of the precious metal in a bid to curb smuggling and preserve foreign currency reserves.
The move implements a September 2 cabinet recommendation from the Supreme Committee for Economic Emergencies, which called for restricting the purchase and marketing of gold to a single government entity.
The government hopes the policy will stop the widespread smuggling of gold to countries like the UAE and Egypt, which deprives Sudan of vital foreign currency needed to import essential goods such as wheat and fuel.
In a circular, the central bank stated that all gold produced by artisanal miners and tailings processing companies must be sold exclusively to the Bank of Sudan or its designated agents. It added that purchases will be made at prevailing international market prices and handled by the state-run Sudan Gold Refinery.
The circular explicitly banned any person or corporate entity other than the central bank from exporting gold. The policy builds on an August 21 declaration that criminalized the possession or storage of gold without official documentation as smuggling.
Most of Sudan’s gold is produced by an estimated two million artisanal miners. Many processing companies extract gold from the waste left by this traditional mining, a practice known as “karta,” often using chemical agents like cyanide.
The central bank will permit one exception to the export ban: gold sent abroad for manufacturing and re-importation. This requires approval from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, a specifications certificate, and a bank guarantee for the value of the gold.
The gold must be returned to Sudan within one month of its shipment date, or the bank guarantee will be forfeited, the bank stated.
Customs authorities were also instructed to monitor personal gold jewellery carried by passengers at airports, ports, and border crossings in accordance with customs regulations.