Meet the Ghanaian woman who owns $16-million stake in Asante Gold

Nadia Abdul Aziz, a reclusive Ghanaian executive, is arguably one of the richest business leaders in Ghana and West Africa due to her multimillion-dollar stake in Asante Gold, a Canadian Securities Exchange-listed gold exploration, development, and operating company.

Aziz, a leading financial professional who took over as a director of Asante Gold in November 2020, replacing former director Abdel-Majeed Haroun, owns a significant 4.13-percent stake in the gold exploration company, totaling 13 million shares.

Prior to joining Asante Gold in 2020, Aziz, who also serves on the board of Indussi Resources, a private Ghana-based project originator and developer, was instrumental in the acquisition of significant mineral concessions and mine development.

She played a key role in Asante Gold’s recent acquisition of Chirano Gold Mine, an operating open-pit and underground mining operation located in southwestern Ghana, immediately south of the company’s Bibiani Gold Mine, thanks to her many years of experience in mining finance positions.

Aziz’s 4.13-percent stake in the gold exploration company is currently valued at CAD20.8 million ($16.1 million), making her one of Ghana’s wealthiest executives and investors.

With the secondary listing of Asante Gold on the Ghana Stock Exchange’s main market, last week on Wed., June 29, Aziz is set to compete with Ghanaian businessman Daniel Ofori, who ranks as the wealthiest investor on the local bourse with a diversified investment portfolio worth more than $28 million.

The market value of Aziz’s 4.13-percent stake in Asante Gold is significantly higher than the portfolio values of Ghanaian businessmen and leading investors such as Patrick Kingsley-Nyinnah, Frank Brako Adu, and Oscar Yao Doe, in line with the implied value of Asante Gold’s shares following their listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange on Wednesday.