Global demand for gold reached 1,231 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, triggering a record $193 billion market and reshaping investment patterns across West Africa.
The market valuation represents a 74% increase year-on-year, according to reporting by Business Africa.
The surge in global appetite for the precious metal is fundamentally altering the mining landscape in the West African region, where soaring prices are attracting new capital and shifting how investors approach the sector.
The rapid growth in market value follows a period of intense demand, positioning gold as a central driver of economic activity and investment reshuffling within the regional mining market.
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