URA struggles to trace billions in gold exports

What the report says

Uganda Revenue Authority officials are having difficulty determining both how much gold is produced domestically and where gold exported through Ugandan refineries originates, according to a report published by The Independent Uganda and reporting from URN. The issue, discussed by URA manager for extractives Lawrence Muwonge, points to weaknesses in tracking artisanal mining and in tracing the supply chain from mine to refinery to export. Kampala was the setting for the remarks, made alongside discussion of Uganda’s latest Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative findings.

Muwonge said informal mining sites are especially hard to monitor because many artisanal miners do not keep records, making it difficult for tax officials to verify daily production or sales. He also said refineries are easier to identify because they operate from fixed premises, but the source of their gold remains unclear. The report notes that Uganda’s extractive-sector data show reporting gaps: only 13 of 20 companies in the reconciliation exercise submitted templates, and only four submitted signed returns. The non-reporting and unsigned submissions covered large portions of the reconciliation scope.

The article also highlights differences in gold export figures reported by government bodies. URA data for 2023/24 put gold exports at about 46,263 kilogrammes worth roughly US$2.98 billion, while Bank of Uganda figures were slightly higher, at about 48,620 kilogrammes valued at about US$3.09 billion. The piece says these inconsistencies raise broader questions about how Uganda measures and regulates gold production, taxation and export control. It also provides background on policy tensions involving licensing, export restrictions and a fixed export levy, which URA officials say may not reflect rising global gold prices.