By Kei Emmanuel Duku
In a significant move to regulate its flourishing minerals sector, the government through the Ministry of Mining has issued a new order strictly controlling the trade and export of gold. The Ministerial Order No. 04/2025 establishes new requirements for who can trade gold and sets a minimum quantity of 1,000 grams (1 Kilogram) for any gold leaving the country.
The order issued on November 6, 2025, by Martin Gama Abucha, Minister of Mining states that only companies holding valid Mineral Trading Licenses are permitted to buy, sell, and export gold within and from the Republic of South Sudan.
The new regulations create a defined hierarchy for gold transactions, placing tight controls on smaller operations.
Under the new directives, companies holding Small Scale Mining Licenses are specifically required to sell their gold locally to any holder of a Mineral Trading License within the country. With the new directives, it effectively removes small-scale miners from the direct export chain, ensuring all raw gold first passes through officially recognized channels.
Furthermore, the order introduces a significant quantitative restriction on exports. The minimum quantity of gold permitted to be exported has been set at 1,000 grams (or 1 kilogram). This minimum threshold is expected to streamline customs procedures and focus export licensing on major operators.
Minister Abucha cited powers derived from Articles 14 (1) of the South Sudan Transitional Constitution (2011, as amended) and Section 198 of the Mining Act, 2012 and it is effective from the date of its issuance.
South Sudan holds significant deposits of natural resources, including substantial gold reserves, primarily found in the Greenbelt areas and the former states of Central and Eastern Equatoria. Historically, much of the gold extracted has been done through artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), which, while providing critical income for local communities, has been largely informal and poorly regulated.
The lack of formal control has made the sector vulnerable to illicit gold smuggling across porous borders, leading to substantial revenue losses for the national treasury.
The Government of South Sudan is currently focused on diversifying its economy away from an over-reliance on oil revenues.
By introducing stringent controls on trading and setting a high minimum export quantity, the Ministry of Mining is attempting to bring transparency and accountability to the gold supply chain, thereby maximizing foreign currency earnings and formalizing the mining industry.