Dubai Emerges as Primary Destination for African Artisanal Gold Formalisation Programmes
For Immediate Release
DUBAI, UAE — Dubai has established itself as the primary international destination for gold produced through African artisanal and small-scale mining formalisation programmes, with an estimated 60 per cent of formally exported African artisanal gold now flowing through DMCC-registered operators on its way to refiners and end markets.
The figure, derived from DMCC sector analysis and government export data from major African producing nations, reflects the sustained effort by both Dubai's market infrastructure and African governments to build direct commercial relationships that replace informal routes with transparent, documented supply chains anchored in the Gulf.
Ghana's GoldBod programme, Tanzania's artisanal registration framework, and Uganda's Community Mining Zones initiative have all been designed with Dubai as a primary market endpoint, with their documentation and compliance standards aligned to the requirements of DMCC-registered buyers and UAE-based refiners.
This alignment has not happened by accident. Over the past several years, the DMCC has invested in active engagement with African producing nation governments, providing technical input on supply chain documentation standards, hosting study visits for African sector officials, and facilitating direct introductions between African aggregation bodies and Dubai-based buyers.
"The relationship between Dubai and Africa's artisanal gold sector has become one of the most consequential supply chain partnerships in the global gold market. African governments have invested in the governance infrastructure to produce documented, responsible gold. Dubai has invested in the commercial infrastructure to receive and market it. The result is a supply chain that works for producers, intermediaries, and end buyers alike." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold
Icon Gold occupies a central position in this Africa-Dubai corridor, operating aggregation and export operations across Uganda, Ghana, and Tanzania while managing its international commercial relationships through its Dubai office within the DMCC ecosystem. The company's integrated presence across both sides of the corridor gives it a unique perspective on the opportunities and practical challenges of connecting African production to Gulf markets.
The DMCC has indicated that it will continue to invest in the Africa relationship, with plans to open a dedicated Africa-Gulf Gold Corridor advisory office in Dubai in the first half of 2026, providing a dedicated point of contact for African governments and operators seeking to develop or strengthen their commercial connections to the Dubai market.
"The establishment of a dedicated Africa-Gulf Gold Corridor office at the DMCC would be a significant institutional development. Having a permanent, staffed resource in Dubai focused on supporting African operators and governments would accelerate the development of relationships that currently rely on ad hoc engagement. It reflects the maturity of the partnership and the scale of the commercial opportunity it represents." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold
The growing African share of Dubai's gold trade is expected to continue increasing as formalisation programmes in Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana produce growing volumes of documented gold and as new producing nations across the continent develop their own pathways to the Dubai market.
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