Ghana, long known as the continent’s top gold producer, is now gaining a more alarming reputation: a regional epicentre for the illicit explosives trade that is fuelling insecurity across West Africa.
A new study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), titled ‘Mapping Ghana’s Expanding Gold Sector,‘ reveals how the country’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector is inadvertently powering a deadly network, spreading industrial explosives across borders and into the hands of criminal networks and insurgents.
The report is jointly authored by Ghanaian analyst with GI-TOC’s extractives team, Dr Gideon Ofosu-Peasah and Director of extractives at the GI-TOC, Marcena Hunter.
At the heart of the issue is the unauthorized use and diversion of explosives in Ghana’s small-scale mining operations. Although regulations under Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act (2006) and Explosives Regulations (2021) allow small-scale miners to apply for permission to use explosives, investigations revealed that most operators bypass the process entirely. Instead, they source explosives through a shadow market driven by leakages from licensed large-scale mines, fraudulent purchases, and over-supply schemes by rogue dealers.
Profit Over Safety
“Explosives are being stockpiled and sold illegally at an alarming rate,” says Dr Ofosu-Peasah. “Some companies deliberately order more than they need, knowing there’s a lucrative black market willing to pay high prices.”
The consequences are fatal. One of the worst examples occurred in January 2022, when a truck carrying explosives for large-scale gold mining collided with a motorcycle in the town of Appiatse. The resulting explosion killed 13 people, wounded dozens, and flattened the village. Investigations later revealed widespread regulatory violations by Maxam Ghana Limited, the company responsible for the cargo.
Gateway for Smuggling
But the problem extends far beyond Ghana’s borders. According to the study, the Ghana is the primary source of smuggled explosives across West Africa. From Ghana, these materials are transported into Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Guinea, Liberia, and even Niger, often concealed within legitimate goods or hidden compartments in commercial trucks.
The Elubo border in Ghana’s Western Region has become a notorious smuggling route, facilitating illegal shipments of electric detonators, blasting caps, and other explosive materials. Security agencies have intercepted several consignments, including in a 2020 operation named Conquered Fist, which targeted explosive smuggling to Burkina Faso.
Insurgents Armed with Ghanaian Explosives
The growing trade has alarming implications for regional stability. It was found out that in countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, battling jihadist insurgencies, Ghanaian-sourced explosives are showing up in improvised explosive devices (IEDs). According to the Small Arms Survey, commercial electric initiators produced for Ghana’s mining sector have been traced to IED caches and post-blast investigations in the Sahel.
Two of the main companies supplying mining explosives legally in Ghana are also major exporters to Mali. Experts fear that materials diverted from Ghana’s legal supply chain are making their way into militant operations, raising red flags for intelligence and counterterrorism officials across the subregion.
Regulatory Gaps and Security Risks
Despite the national security implications, Ghana’s enforcement mechanisms remain weak. While regulatory frameworks exist, implementation is fragmented, and oversight is minimal. Local miners often operate without any form of safety training or secure handling procedures for dangerous materials.
The country has not yet seen widespread use of IEDs within its borders, but officials are wary of the risk. “As conflicts inch closer from the Sahel and northern Burkina Faso, Ghana is at a dangerous crossroads,” warns a regional security analyst. “Without strong intervention, the country could soon find itself both a supplier and a target.”
When The High Street Journal caught up with Security Consultant, Richard Kumadoe, he agreed that the findings in the report reflect a critical threat:
“Whether it is one case or two, the explosives used in small-scale mining, especially when diverted or mishandled, have the potential to cause massive destruction. The Appiatse disaster is a painful example,” he said.
“The movement of these materials across mining zones, sometimes from one country to another, is happening more frequently than people realize. Without clear controls, these explosives can fall into the wrong hands and be weaponized.”
Mr. Kumadoe stressed the urgency of tightening border surveillance and inter-agency collaboration.
“Every border from Elubo to Aflao has the presence of multiple security agencies. The issue is not manpower. It’s whether we’re enforcing standards and adapting to new risks. We need upgraded rules, trained personnel, and accountability throughout the supply chain.”
“Terror groups can and will exploit this gap if we don’t act swiftly,” he warned.
Gold’s Hidden Cost
Ghana’s booming gold sector has long been viewed as a path to economic empowerment for thousands of small-scale miners. But the dark underbelly of this expansion, marked by illicit explosives and rising insecurity, now threatens to undo those gains.
The trade in explosives is no longer a mining problem alone; it’s a regional crisis demanding urgent cross-border collaboration, stronger regulation, and a rethinking of how Ghana manages its natural resources.
