By: TRT Africa

Gold mining companies in Côte d’Ivoire have started paying a new 8% royalty on their revenue, which has been applied retroactively to January, according to three industry sources. This follows months of dispute in which miners argued the levy was unlawful because their existing contracts protected them from fiscal changes.

Despite entering negotiations to have the royalty scrapped, the companies ultimately began paying after the government refused to alter its position. An industry executive indicated that all affected firms have now agreed to pay, with attention shifting to whether late-payment penalties will apply.

David Whittle, the West Africa chief operating officer at Fortuna Mining, confirmed the company’s compliance. Côte d’Ivoire’s move is part of a broader trend in West Africa, where rising gold and commodity prices have led governments to increase fiscal pressure on mining operations. While some countries in the region have taken direct measures such as revoking licenses, Côte d’Ivoire and others like Ghana have introduced new laws and levies to boost state revenues.