The MIIF in the past three years has grown to be arguably the most profitable state-owned organisation.
It is perhaps the most impactful, recording over 100 per cent in profits in 2023, increased its assets under management from US$180 Million in 2021 to circa US$1 Billion in 2024, supporting mining capacity building and increasing Ghana’s equity interests in mining.
According to a research conducted by Ghextractives, MIIF whose investment policy guidelines allows it to trade in precious minerals as an alternative investment in 2024, aims to use the Trade Desk to improve the integration of the gold value chain including the proposed gold backed ETF (Exchange Traded Fund), supporting the stabilisation of the cedi, build gold reserves, optimise returns for the Fund and supporting the formalisation of the small scale mining sector.
MIIF gold trade through a revolving trade line of the cedi equivalent of US$30m to its approved aggregator was able to attract circa US$600 million dollars into the Ghanaian economy between October 2023 and September 2024 with other trade lines leading to revenue in excess of US$ 1.0 Billion.
Our research reveals that MIIF through licensed aggregators and under an insured programme provides cedis to a licensed aggregator to purchase gold from licensed small-scale miners which is then exported to accredited LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) refineries.
According to same research, MIIF had two models covering its trade programme – the Gold for Forex and Gold for Oil.
The objective of this model was for MIIF to make margins on the USD with the added impact of supporting the cedi against volatility.
Contrary to allegations of missing US$90 Million cash, investigations revealed that MIIF in 2023 disbursed the cedi equivalent of $30m in 3 tranches of $10m each to its first aggregator Goldridge, which according to sources remains the only MIIF owned capital outlay.
This monthly revolving outlay returned a monthly average of circa $60 Million over a period of eleven months.
Based on the success of the programme, banks such as Fidelity approached MIIF with its own capital under a pre-settlement arrangement.
With this arrangement, the bank provides its own capital to plug into the MIIF trade with the objective of off taking dollars derived from the trade.
MIIF participation in Government of Ghana’s Gold for Oil did not involve any capital outlay from MIIF. This second model of the MIIF Trade involved oil bulk distribution companies (BDCs) providing cedis to MIIF’s Trade Desk through the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributor (CBOD).
This generated forex of circa US$650 Million to support the payment of fuel supplies on behalf of BDCs between February 2024 to September 2024.
The forex delivered to the oil import market was however sub-Bloomberg mid-rate, thereby bringing stability to the cedi and supporting the purchase of oil prices at the pump as confirmed by the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors.
According to the MIIF press conference last year which had been much amplified recently, these fiscal gains however caused forex variances which affected their trade portfolio as local gold prices soared against lower Bank of Ghana prescribed rates for trading and the prevailing USD commercial rates at the time.
This created a forex variance of US$19.5m out of circa US$156m trade volume of Fidelity Bank’s capital with MIIF, and US$42m out of the $650m trade volume with the BDCs under the Gold for Oil Programme.
According to reports, the US$19.5m Fidelity variance has been fully remedied and circa US$29 million out of the BDC reported variance of US$42 million remedied through trade receipts.
According to reports, MIIF’s revolving initial capital of $30m provided to Goldridge in cedis was suspended in September 2024 due to the reported forex variance borne out of the prevailing commercial forex rate and the prescribed sub Bloomberg rate from Bank of Ghana.
It is estimated that, a further trading by Goldridge under the revolver can generate more than US$500 million per year.
It is instructive to note that, the MIIF gold trade was still ongoing with an expanded number of aggregators and with a projected foreign exchange inflow of US$ 3 Billion dollars in the next two years.
MIIF’s Trade has been hugely successful despite the forex variance in September 2024.
It is however estimated that, following the turnover of US$30 million to generate over US$600 million, the trade structure provides an opportunity for Ghana to utilise such for the much-needed forex, the attendant formalisation impact on the small-scale mining sector and the economy as a whole.
The MIIF Trade Desk provides a blueprint for future trading programmes whether gold for oil or trading by the Government under Ghana’s proposed gold board.
The risk of foreign exchange variances are commonplace with commodity trading, but with the right monitoring, technology and hedging mechanisms a precious minerals trade programme can be Ghana’s game changer and MIIF has shown the way.
