The Managing Director of Coca-Cola Bottling Company Ghana, Mr. Felix Gomis, has sounded the alarm over rampant cross-border smuggling of Coca-Cola products, revealing that more than 150,000 crates, valued at approximately US$700,000, are illicitly entering Ghana from Nigeria every month. The ongoing smuggling activity, he warned, was undermining the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Gomis described the situation as a growing threat to Ghana’s economic recovery efforts and a direct attack on legitimate business operations.
“We face serious challenges from smuggling, it erodes local market share, compromises employment, and deprives government of vital tax revenue. We must act swiftly and collectively to close these revenue leaks.” Mr. Gomis stated.
He stressed the importance of inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing, and a stronger enforcement framework to curtail smuggling activities, particularly of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) like soft drinks, which are susceptible to informal trade due to porous borders and weak monitoring systems.
Mr. Gomis stressed Coca-Cola Ghana’s long-standing commitment to national development, job creation, and investment. “Coca-Cola has operated in Ghana for over three decades, and we remain dedicated to growing our footprint, supporting communities, and contributing to the formal economy,” he noted, highlighting the beverage sector’s wider role in driving national industrialization.
In response, Brigadier General Glover Ashong Annan, Commissioner of the GRA Customs Division, acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and pledged action. He highlighted smuggling as a menace that distorts fair competition, affects revenue mobilization, and hampers private sector growth.
“The Customs Division takes this very seriously, we’re committed to working closely with Coca-Cola and other stakeholders through intelligence-led enforcement, border control reinforcement, and strategic partnerships to dismantle smuggling networks.” said Brigadier General Annan.
Echoing this sentiment, Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong reinforced GRA’s commitment to protecting businesses that operate within the legal framework. He described the fight against smuggling as a national imperative—one that is intimately tied to broader economic goals such as funding education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
“Every cedi lost to smuggling is a lost opportunity to improve the lives of Ghanaians, we must safeguard domestic industry if we are to build a resilient economy.” Mr. Sarpong remarked.
The GRA leadership praised Coca-Cola Ghana’s proactive stance and reiterated their readiness to work with the private sector to identify loopholes, improve border surveillance, and clamp down on illicit trade. Sarpong encouraged ongoing dialogue and operational synergy to ensure that genuine businesses thrive and contribute fully to Ghana’s development.
With the beverage industry playing a pivotal role in job creation, supply chain growth, and youth employment, stakeholders agree that preserving its integrity from illegal trade must remain a top priority. The Coca-Cola-GRA engagement is now seen as a benchmark for deeper public-private sector cooperation in curbing tax leakages and boosting domestic productivity.
