President John Dramani Mahama has declared that trade and investment must take center stage in diplomatic engagements between Ghana and Gabon, calling on the private sectors of both nations to spearhead cross-border commercial expansion.
Speaking at Jubilee House during bilateral talks with Gabonese President General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President Mahama emphasized that transforming decades of political solidarity into active economic integration is vital for driving industrial growth across West and Central Africa.
“Trade and investment must remain central to this agenda,” President Mahama declared. “Expanding commercial exchanges between Ghana and Gabon will stimulate economic growth, create decent jobs, and enhance the competitiveness of our respective economies.”
With Ghana hosting the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), President Mahama urged financial institutions, manufacturers, and logistics operators to capitalize on the continental framework to build integrated regional supply chains. He called for direct joint ventures across manufacturing, agribusiness, transport, infrastructure development, and financial services.
Beyond general commercial trade, the President highlighted key growth sectors ripe for strategic bilateral investment, including commercial aquaculture and fish processing, mineral beneficiation and local content governance, joint carbon market initiatives leveraging Gabon’s forestry leadership, and enhanced maritime security to safeguard Gulf of Guinea shipping corridors.
President Mahama expressed confidence that aligning national policies and encouraging private-sector dialogue will create an enabling environment for capital flows and deepen intra-African commerce.
On his part, Gabonese President General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema fully endorsed placing trade and investment at the core of bilateral relations between the two nations.
President Nguema revealed that Gabon is particularly keen on leveraging Ghana’s extensive expertise to develop its own cocoa industry. In return, he proposed a collaborative framework for knowledge-sharing focused on mining, natural resource governance, and value addition.
The Central African nation brings significant economic leverage to the partnership. As a key regional exporter, Gabon’s economy is backed by substantial crude oil reserves, rich manganese ore deposits, and specialized maritime vessel operations, offering strong synergies for expanded trade with Ghana.
