Why is There so Much Gold in West Africa?

West Africa has been a major gold mining hub for centuries, dating back to the ancient Ghana Empire, known as the "Land of Gold" due to its rich reserves and trade networks. The region remains a global leader in gold production, contributing about 10.8% of the world's total output in 2024. Recently, military-led governments in the Sahel, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have pressured Western mining firms for a fairer distribution of revenue from the lucrative sector. These tensions highlight the economic and geopolitical significance of gold in the region.