Ghana and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are advancing plans to establish a Circular Economy Innovation and Textile Testing Centre, positioning the facility as a cornerstone of efforts to turn the country’s growing textile waste challenge into an engine for industrial development.
The proposed centre is a key pillar of an Italy-funded UNIDO project being implemented with Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, aimed at strengthening circular economy solutions in the textile and second-hand clothing sector. The initiative was discussed during a UNIDO courtesy call on Ghana’s Embassy in Rome.
According to UNIDO officials, the centre would provide laboratory testing and technical services to support textile sorting and classification, identify toxic components and enable second-life industrial applications. These could include the conversion of discarded textiles into inputs for furniture, insulation panels, automotive components, paper products and agricultural uses.
The project responds to mounting environmental pressures linked to Ghana’s role as one of the world’s largest destinations for second-hand clothing. Data presented during the engagement showed that only about 40% of imported garments are reused, while roughly 60% end up as waste, contributing to pollution in drainage systems, lagoons and coastal areas, particularly around Accra’s Kantamanto enclave.
UNIDO’s approach seeks to move beyond waste management toward value creation by embedding innovation, testing and industrial linkages into Ghana’s textile ecosystem. A mapping and validation exercise is underway to identify a suitable host institution for the centre, with Accra and Kumasi under consideration. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has emerged as a strong candidate due to its technical capacity and expertise in textile research.
Discussions in Rome also covered plans for an Italy–Ghana Circular Economy Dialogue scheduled for June 16–17, 2026, in Accra, alongside Ghana-focused investment presentations across Italian cities between March and April. These engagements are expected to mobilise private sector interest and technology partnerships around the proposed centre.
UNIDO has asked Ghana’s Embassy to support the nomination of a Ghanaian investment resource person to engage Italian companies and institutions on opportunities linked to the textile and circular economy initiative.
The proposed innovation and testing centre is expected to play a strategic role in Ghana’s industrial and sustainability agenda, supporting job creation, attracting investment and reducing the environmental footprint of the global textile trade through circular economy models.
