Although illegal gold panning is prohibited and punishable by law in Côte d’Ivoire, numerous sites continue to thrive in rural areas, bringing with them significant environmental nuisances. The western region of the country hosts a high concentration of gold panning sites. This study aims to assess the potential intensity of metal contamination (As, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Hg, and Cd) in soils and to determine the associated ecological risk. Eight (8) soil samples were collected at a depth of 15 cm from areas influenced by gold panning activity in the Bangolo department. Laboratory chemical analyses and statistical treatments were conducted to evaluate the contamination intensity through the calculation of contamination factors and the geo-accumulation index (Igeo). Additionally, the ecological risk associated with soil metal contamination was assessed. The results showed that As, Ni, and Cr concentrations in samples S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, and ST exceeded average concentrations typically found in the upper continental crust. The highest average concentrations were recorded for Cr (134.34 mg/kg), Cu (41 mg/kg), and Ni (34.43 mg/kg). The average Pb and As concentrations in the studied soils were 7.92 mg/kg and 5.79 mg/kg, respectively. Overall, soil metal contamination ranged from low to moderately severe. Chromium and arsenic contamination were the highest, with contamination factors reaching up to 5.37 and 6.75, and Igeo values of 1.84 and 2.17, respectively. Sample S6 was the most contaminated, while S1 showed no contamination due to its sandy nature. The resulting ecological risk is currently low, with all risk index (RI) values below 150.