Ghana is positioning itself to become West Africa’s premier destination for manufacturing and assembly, with the government unveiling plans to attract a new wave of Chinese manufacturers to set up shops in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the Ghana-China Business Summit 2025, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah outlined a strategic vision aimed at transforming Ghana into a regional production base for the ECOWAS market. The move is part of a broader push by the Mahama-led administration to strengthen industrialisation, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and reduce Ghana’s overreliance on imports.
“Ghana is not a bad place to do business after all. The 100 [Chinese companies] that are already here wouldn’t have come if it were otherwise,” Debrah said, highlighting the confidence Chinese investors already have in the Ghanaian market.
The government is targeting sectors with high-growth potential and regional demand, including automobile manufacturing, electric vehicles (EVs), petrochemicals, housing, and tourism infrastructure. By inviting Chinese companies to establish assembly plants, Ghana hopes to leverage its strategic location, investment incentives, and access to the ECOWAS Free Trade Area to become a launchpad for exports across the sub-region.
Debrah emphasised that relocating production closer to end markets offers a competitive advantage by minimising logistical costs and bypassing non-tariff trade barriers that typically constrain exports from Asia.
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“You get closer to the market, where you’ll also be permitted to export to the entire West African zone,” he noted.
The government has also assured potential investors of full institutional support, promising to fast-track approvals, offer land and infrastructure incentives, and create a business-friendly environment tailored to manufacturing.
The summit, which brings together public and private sector leaders from Ghana and China, is expected to result in multiple new investment announcements and partnerships.
