'I left illegal gold business to avoid jail' – Mr Eazi reveals

Nigerian singer and entrepreneur Mr Eazi has revealed that he once exited a gold trading business in Ghana over fears of being arrested for engaging in illegal activities.

Speaking in an interview on Glitch Africa on April 19, 2026, the artiste disclosed that his involvement in the business, although not criminal in nature such as fraud or drug dealing, was still unlawful due to regulatory restrictions.

“Aside from doing all my businesses, it turns out that the business I was doing was for foreigners. It was illegal and I didn’t want to go to jail,” he said.

‘It’s easier to tour Europe than Africa’ – Mr Eazi

Clarifying the nature of the venture, Mr Eazi explained that he was involved in gold trading within Ghana’s small-scale mining sector, which is legally reserved for local operators.

“I wasn’t selling drugs or doing Yahoo. I was selling gold, but it’s for the small-scale mining lands. The small scale is for locals; it’s like to support locals,” he stated.

According to him, the realisation of the legal implications of his activities forced him to reconsider his path.

“I’m like, if I continue doing this thing and I get arrested, I’m going to go to jail. That’s not fun,” he shared.

Mr Eazi revealed that he subsequently relocated to Nigeria with the intention of seeking financial support from family members to regularise his mining ambitions.

“I decided to move to Nigeria and look for which of my uncles was going to give me money so that I could go back to Ghana and continue the mining,” he noted.

However, that plan took an unexpected turn, ultimately leading him into music.

“Then I ended up a musician,” he added.

“I was doing an ill3gal business in Ghana 🇬🇭 by mistake… but I never did Y@hoo or moved c0caine 😭

I was mining and selling gold” 🔥

— Mr Eazi pic.twitter.com/ejpn2VEQry

— carter🌚 (@carter6f) April 19, 2026