Eight Ghanaian companies have signed cooperation agreements with the Ghana Export‑Import Bank (GEXIM) in efforts to strengthen industrial capacity and expand the country’s exports, officials.
The memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were finalised on the closing day of GEXIM’s two‑day 10th anniversary international conference in Accra, bringing together government officials, development finance institutions, private sector actors and international partners to explore ways to improve Ghana’s competitiveness in global markets. The conference, held on March 25–26 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, was held under the theme “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The companies involved in the agreements include Freshsaco Foods Exports Limited, Buntaa Farms Limited, Nadkansco Company Limited, Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, TKS Packaging & Printing Limited and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms Limited, according to GEXIM communications.
The partnerships are intended to support targeted production growth, enhance export readiness and promote value‑added industrial activity, aligning with Ghana’s broader push to diversify its export base beyond traditional raw commodities.
The anniversary event featured high‑level addresses and panel discussions with policymakers and sector experts. Vice‑President Naana Jane Opoku‑Agyemang delivered a keynote at the opening session, outlining geopolitical opportunities and challenges for Ghana’s export agenda, while Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama participated in a fireside discussion on the role of macroeconomic stability in export competitiveness.
Panels addressed key issues including how effective policy frameworks and export performance can strengthen Ghana’s trade competitiveness, and the structural barriers confronting small and medium‑sized enterprises (MSMEs), such as limited access to long‑term capital, weak financial governance and insufficient technical capacity.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, speaking on the closing day, outlined the government’s strategy to move Ghana up the value chain and position the country as a competitive export hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasising the need to bridge financing gaps for manufacturers seeking to add value to natural resources rather than exporting unprocessed commodities.
GEXIM was established by the Ghana Export‑Import Bank Act in 2016 with a mandate to support trade and industrial development through financing, guarantees and advisory services. Officials at the conference noted that while the bank’s loan portfolio has grown significantly over the past decade, structural constraints such as high capital costs, weak logistics and challenges meeting international standards continue to limit the export readiness of many Ghanaian businesses.
Participants said the conference marked a shift toward practical and coordinated action, as delegates moved beyond discussions of policy to tangible commitments and institutional collaboration aimed at addressing longstanding export constraints.
