Ghana through the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) is intensifying efforts to attract global manufacturers as part of its strategy to build an export-driven industrial base, with U.S. footwear company Rocky Brands emerging as a potential partner.
The GFZA held discussions with Rocky Brands CEO Jason Brooks during a recent investment engagement in Nashville, Ohio. GFZA Chief Executive Mary Awusi extended a formal invitation for the company to establish operations under Ghana’s Free Zones Scheme, a platform designed to facilitate manufacturing for export.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort to position Ghana as a manufacturing and logistics hub for West Africa, leveraging preferential trade access under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Ghana’s Free Zones Scheme offers full foreign ownership, exemptions from import duties, and corporate tax holidays of up to 10 years, features aimed at attracting long-term capital into the industrial sector.
While Rocky Brands has not confirmed investment plans, the engagement signals growing interest in diversification of African market access. Ghana, with a population of over 33 million and stable macroeconomic reforms, is seeking to channel more foreign direct investment into sectors such as apparel, footwear, automotive components, and light manufacturing.
The country is also rolling out a “24-hour economy” strategy to extend productivity across key sectors. The plan is aimed at improving infrastructure, job creation, and export competitiveness, objectives closely aligned with GFZA’s investment outreach.
Ghana is currently facing pressure to accelerate non-commodity exports and reduce its vulnerability to external shocks. Manufacturing accounts for less than 10% of GDP, and policymakers are increasingly looking to foreign anchor firms to stimulate industrial clusters.
Awusi noted that Ghana’s appeal lies not just in incentives, but in long-term market access. The AfCFTA, headquartered in Accra, grants preferential entry to a unified African market of 1.4 billion people, offering investors a broader platform for scaling production.
Rocky Brands, based in Nelsonville, Ohio, manufactures and markets outdoor, work, and military footwear under brands such as Rocky, Georgia Boot, and Durango. The company’s international expansion has largely focused on North America and select global markets, and its potential entry into West Africa would mark a significant geographic diversification.
