Kenya and Rwanda have been named in SwissAid’s latest report as key transit hubs in a massive and illicit gold smuggling network that spans the African continent. The report paints a grim picture of the scale and impact of this illegal trade, which costs African nations billions in lost revenue and fuels armed conflict and regional instability.

In 2022 alone, over 435 tonnes of African gold, valued at approximately $30.7 billion, were smuggled out of the continent. A significant portion of this gold passed through East African gateways like Kenya and Rwanda before entering global markets, primarily via the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Between 2012 and 2022, the UAE imported 2,569 tonnes of undeclared African gold worth over $115.3 billion much of which was funneled through countries like Rwanda, where it was “legalized” before export.

“Gold originating from clandestine African circuits acquires a legal existence when it enters the international market,” SwissAid observed.

Kenya’s Role in the Smuggling Chain

Kenya, while a gold producer in its own right, is described as a major transit route for smuggled gold originating from conflict-prone regions such as South Sudan, eastern DRC, Ethiopia, and possibly Sudan. SwissAid notes that gold from these areas is moved across Kenya’s borders and then exported, mostly to the UAE. In many cases, this gold bypasses Kenya’s official export declarations.

The Kenyan government reported only 672 kilograms of gold exports in 2023, yet SwissAid estimates the actual figure to be closer to two tonnes per year. The report blames this discrepancy on smuggling from unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations, which are poorly monitored.

Only two licensed medium-scale gold mines in Kenya declare their exports, sending the refined gold to Switzerland and South Africa. The rest particularly undeclared production enters the black market and is lost to the national economy.

Rwanda’s Role and Links to Conflict Gold

Rwanda is also flagged as a major conduit in the smuggling web, particularly for gold looted from eastern DRC, where numerous armed groups operate with impunity. The SwissAid report alleges that Rwanda plays a role in granting a legal identity to smuggled gold, allowing it to enter the international market cleanly.

“Huge quantities of gold are smuggled out of Africa… controls at customs and production sites are inadequate,” the report warns.

Rwanda’s participation is not just an economic concern, it’s tied to violent conflict, state corruption, and regional destabilization, especially in the Great Lakes region. SwissAid describes this as part of “clandestine African circuits,” where looted or illegally mined gold is legitimized through weak enforcement and complicit systems.

Kenyan Authorities Respond

In response to growing scrutiny, the Kenyan government is establishing a mining police unit to curb the illicit gold trade. In April 2025, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested 11 suspects at Spring Valley Estate in Nairobi in connection with a gold scam that defrauded a client of KSh 70 million. Investigators recovered 305 kilograms of fake gold, along with testing equipment and weighing scales.

While these are steps in the right direction, the report underscores the urgent need for regional cooperation, transparency in gold supply chains, and stronger oversight at both production and export points to dismantle the networks that allow Africa’s wealth to be siphoned away through smuggling and crime.