Mr. Andrew Nelson reports

WESTWARD GOLD ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF NON-BROKERED PRIVATE PLACEMENT FINANCING WITH PARTICIPATION FROM STRATEGIC INVESTORS CRESCAT CAPITAL LLC AND CONCEPT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Westward Gold Inc. has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (see news releases dated Sept. 9, 2026, and Sept. 10, 2026) and has issued 33,128,000 units at a price of 25 cents per unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of approximately $8,282,000. Each unit comprises one common share of the company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the company at a price of 40 cents for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the offering.

Existing strategic shareholders Crescat Capital LLC and Concept Capital Management Ltd. participated in the offering for combined gross proceeds of $2.8-million. Crescat subscribed for 7.2 million units for gross proceeds of approximately $1.8-million. This investment, combined with Crescat's prior holdings, represents a postoffering basic ownership interest of approximately 12.6 per cent (approximately 21.5 per cent on a partially diluted basis). Concept Capital subscribed for four million units for gross proceeds of approximately $1-million, representing a postoffering basic ownership interest of approximately 9.6 per cent (approximately 17.0 per cent on a partially diluted basis). The offering did not result in the creation of a new control person of the company (as such term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange), as the warrants are not exercisable if such exercise would result in the holder, together with any person or company acting jointly or in concert with the holder, owning, or exercising control or discretion, over 20 per cent or greater of the issued and outstanding shares of the company.

The net proceeds from the offering will be used primarily for: (i) financing continuing drilling at Westward's flagship Toiyabe Hills property along the Cortez trend in Nevada, in addition to further trenching, detailed geological mapping, rock chip and soil sampling programs, and geophysical surveys; (ii) increasing cash bonding in relation to Westward's existing plan of operations with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to allow for expanded ground disturbance; and (iii) general working capital purposes. The common shares and warrants issued in relation to the offering are subject to a hold period of four months and one day, in accordance with applicable securities laws and the requirements of the CSE. In connection with the offering, a total of $234,815 in cash finders' fees were paid, 1,219,260 finders' warrants were issued and 280,000 finders' units were issued to qualified finders. The finders' warrants are exercisable at a price of cents per common share for a period of 24 months and the finders' units were issued on the same terms as the units issued in the offering.

Certain insiders of the company acquired units in the offering, for an aggregate total of 8.16 million units and gross proceeds of approximately $2.04-million (including $1.8-million invested by Crescat). The participation by such insiders in the offering constituted a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101, Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. Such participation was exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on the fact that neither the fair market value of the units subscribed for by the insiders, nor the consideration for the units paid by such insiders, exceeded 25 per cent of the company's market capitalization.

About Westward Gold Inc.

Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developing the Toiyabe Hills project, located in the Cortez Hills area of Lander county, Nevada, and the Coyote and Rossi projects, located along the Carlin trend in Elko county, Nevada. From time to time, the company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities.

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