Ghanaian businesses have been urged to move beyond importing finished products from India and pursue partnerships that transfer manufacturing technology, develop local skills and build domestic production capacity to reduce the economy’s dependence on imported goods.
The Ghana-India Chamber of Commerce (GICC) says deeper commercial cooperation between the two countries could help Ghanaian enterprises acquire the technical expertise and industrial capabilities needed to transform local businesses from trading operations into productive enterprises.
Mr Victor Yao Nyakey, Director of Protocol at the GICC, said Ghana could draw lessons from India’s experience in manufacturing, production and business development to strengthen local industries and create sustainable economic opportunities.
He made the remarks in an interview , during the second day of the Ghana-India Business-to-Business (B2B) programme in Accra.
Mr Nyakey said the engagement should be viewed as more than a platform for matching Ghanaian importers with Indian suppliers, arguing that its long-term economic value would depend on whether commercial relationships translated into technology transfer, knowledge sharing and productive investments.
“We are moving from consumption to production, and for us to do that, we need to learn from countries that are advanced in production and manufacturing, and India is one of those countries,” he said.
The call comes as Ghana seeks to strengthen domestic production, expand industrial capacity and create more opportunities for businesses to generate value locally rather than depend predominantly on imported finished goods.
For Ghanaian enterprises, the distinction is significant. While importing can provide access to machinery, equipment, raw materials and finished products, partnerships that develop local manufacturing capabilities could help businesses retain more value within the domestic economy, build technical expertise and create jobs.
Mr Nyakey said Ghanaian businesses needed to explore arrangements that went beyond purchasing goods to include joint ventures, local production, skills development and the adoption of technologies that could improve productivity.
Such partnerships could provide local businesses with access to manufacturing processes and technical knowledge that might otherwise be costly or difficult to develop independently.
However, translating these opportunities into industrial growth would require businesses to identify suitable partners, secure investment and develop the capacity to absorb and apply the technology acquired.
B2B programme targets stronger business partnerships
The Ghana-India B2B programme brought together Ghanaian businesses seeking products and suppliers from India and Indian manufacturers and exporters interested in entering or expanding their presence in the Ghanaian market.
Mr Nyakey said the programme, organised by the GICC in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), was intended to connect businesses with credible suppliers while opening opportunities for longer-term commercial relationships.
“It is a buyer-seller meet. We have Ghanaian businesses who are buyers and importers and are looking for products from India, and we also have Indian businesses who are manufacturers and suppliers of Made-in-India products,” he said.
Beyond sourcing products, he said the engagement offered Ghanaian enterprises an opportunity to identify Indian partners with the technical capabilities and experience needed to support business expansion and industrial development.
For businesses, such connections could help improve access to equipment, production inputs and specialised knowledge, while providing Indian companies with opportunities to expand their markets and establish partnerships in Ghana.
The broader economic benefit, however, would depend on how many engagements develop into sustained investments, local production arrangements and commercially viable ventures.
Investment cooperation could support industrial expansion
Mr Nyakey said the programme also provided an opportunity to showcase Ghana’s investment potential and encourage Indian businesses to consider establishing partnerships and productive ventures in the country.
He cited contributions from India’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Surinder Bhagat, who encouraged stronger economic cooperation between the two countries, and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), which highlighted investment opportunities available in Ghana.
The GICC President, Dr Kwabena Ekremet, also challenged Ghanaian businesses to strengthen their operations and build enterprises capable of attracting financing from financial institutions and government agencies.
That message highlights another requirement for industrial development: local businesses must be commercially viable, financially disciplined and sufficiently organised to attract the capital needed to expand production.
Technology transfer alone may not deliver the desired results without access to financing, reliable infrastructure, skilled workers and markets large enough to support local manufacturing.
For Ghanaian SMEs in particular, partnerships with established Indian manufacturers could provide a route to acquiring technical expertise and exploring production opportunities, provided the arrangements are supported by viable business plans and adequate financing.
From import partnerships to domestic value creation
Ghana’s engagement with Indian businesses presents an opportunity to examine how international trade can support domestic production rather than serve only as a channel for importing finished goods.
The immediate benefit of the B2B programme is the opportunity for businesses to find suppliers and establish commercial relationships. Its longer-term significance will depend on whether those relationships help Ghanaian enterprises develop local production, improve productivity and expand employment.
Regular engagements could also help businesses identify opportunities for assembling imported components locally, processing raw materials, manufacturing selected products and developing technical skills.
These outcomes are not automatic. They would require deliberate agreements between local and foreign businesses, investment in productive capacity and policies that make manufacturing commercially sustainable.
Mr Nyakey expressed the hope that similar engagements would be organised regularly to deepen economic cooperation between Ghana and India.
The programme forms part of wider efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations between the two countries.
For Ghana, the central test will be whether stronger business ties can help local enterprises move up the production chain, retain more economic value domestically and build competitive industries capable of serving both local and export markets.
