The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has underscored the urgency of deepening intra-African trade as a central pillar for the continent’s economic transformation, calling for stronger collaboration among African nations to unlock shared prosperity.
Speaking at the Ghana International Expo and Investment Forum 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria, Mr. Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, lamented that intra-African trade remains at only 15 percent of the continent’s total trade volume, compared to 69 percent in Europe and 59 percent in Asia.
“This gap is not just a statistic; it is an enormous opportunity we must collectively seize,” he stressed. “When African countries trade more with each other, we create jobs for our youth, retain value within our economies, and build the industrial capacity necessary for sustainable development.”
Mr. Nsarkoh reaffirmed Ghana’s export-led transformation agenda, citing initiatives such as the Accelerated Export Development Agenda and the government’s 24-hour economy policy as strategies to expand productive capacity and market access for Ghanaian products.
He announced GEPA’s ambitious goal of raising Ghana’s export revenues from $4 billion to $10 billion by 2029, saying the vision was “not just about numbers, but about transforming livelihoods, creating jobs, and ensuring economic resilience.”
Commending the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria for advancing economic diplomacy, he urged other missions to support similar platforms to strengthen regional trade and investment.
“GEPA stands ready to be your partner in exploring Ghana’s vast opportunities, from cocoa to technology, agriculture to financial services,” he assured participants.
The Ghana International Expo and Investment Forum 2025, the first to be hosted outside Ghana, brought together policymakers, investors, business leaders, and development partners.
The event provided a platform for high-level dialogue, exhibitions, and networking on leveraging intra-African trade and tourism as engines for innovation, job creation, and shared prosperity.
