Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings crossed US$5 billion in 2025, marking a significant step in the country’s ambition to diversify its economy. The achievement, however, raises a more important question: can Ghanaian businesses turn rising export demand into lasting profitability, industrial growth and jobs, or will the cost of competing internationally continue to limit their potential?
Data from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) show that non-traditional exports generated US$5.006 billion in 2025, up 30.7 per cent from US$3.83 billion in 2024. Processed and semi-processed products accounted for US$3.09 billion, representing 83.47 per cent of non-traditional export earnings. Cocoa derivatives, including cocoa butter, paste and powder, were major contributors to the growth.
The figures offer evidence that Ghana can earn more by moving beyond the export of raw materials. They also expose the challenge facing producers that want to enter foreign markets, where competitive pricing, consistent quality, reliable delivery and compliance with product standards can determine whether an export contract becomes a profitable business opportunity.
According to the Ghana News Agency, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare has called for “patient and well-structured capital designed specifically to meet the unique needs of small businesses in the export sector.”
Her call highlights one of the difficulties facing smaller producers. Exporting requires money long before payment arrives. Businesses may need to purchase raw materials in bulk, invest in machinery, improve packaging, obtain product certification and arrange transportation before receiving revenue from an overseas buyer. Where payment terms are lengthy, working capital can become a major constraint.
A business may have a product that attracts international interest but lack the resources to fulfil a large order. Securing finance on affordable terms is therefore not simply a matter of business expansion. It can determine whether Ghanaian producers are able to compete for contracts or surrender opportunities to better-financed foreign suppliers.
Regulatory compliance presents another challenge. In a speech delivered at the launch of the President’s Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee in May 2025, the Presidency reported that nearly 47 per cent of Ghanaian exporters encountered significant trade obstacles. It also stated that more than 52 per cent of complaints concerned costly and time-consuming technical regulations involving multiple agencies. An exporter could require as many as 16 different documents to obtain a Certificate of Origin alone.
These administrative demands can increase costs and delay shipments, particularly for small businesses without dedicated export and compliance teams. For agricultural producers, delays can be especially damaging when goods are perishable. For manufacturers, failure to meet a destination market’s technical requirements can result in rejected consignments, lost revenue and damaged relationships with buyers.
Packaging, traceability and product consistency also influence competitiveness. Processed foods, cosmetics and cocoa-based products must meet the applicable safety, labelling and quality requirements of their destination markets. Meeting these requirements often involves testing, documentation, improved production systems and investment that smaller firms may struggle to finance.
Transport and logistics add another layer of expense. Producers must move goods from farms and factories to collection centres, warehouses, ports and, ultimately, foreign customers. Unreliable delivery schedules, cargo-handling costs and inefficient supply chains can reduce the margin exporters retain, even when overseas demand is strong.
Ghana nevertheless has opportunities to build on its recent performance. GEPA’s 2025 statistics identified Europe as the leading destination for non-traditional exports, generating US$2.29 billion. Africa accounted for approximately US$1.5 billion, with regional markets providing opportunities for manufacturers and agricultural processors to expand their customer base.
The immediate priority should be to help viable Ghanaian businesses overcome the practical barriers between production and export. Government agencies can improve coordination among regulatory bodies, simplify documentation and provide clear guidance on destination-market requirements. Export financing should be structured around production cycles and confirmed orders, while testing and certification services should be more accessible to smaller firms.
Businesses must also invest in modern production equipment, quality control, market research and product development. Partnerships between exporters, banks, logistics providers and industry associations could help smaller firms share expertise and reduce the costs of entering new markets.
The stakes extend beyond individual companies. In the short term, export difficulties can mean lost contracts, wasted produce, reduced cash flow and fewer opportunities to hire workers. Over time, persistent barriers could discourage investment in local processing, weaken manufacturing capacity and leave Ghana dependent on a narrower range of export products.
Conversely, helping local producers compete could increase foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, strengthen agricultural supply chains and retain more economic value within the country.
GEPA has set a target of US$10 billion in non-traditional export earnings by 2030. Achieving that ambition will require more than producing greater volumes of goods. It will depend on whether Ghanaian businesses can consistently deliver products that meet international standards at prices buyers are willing to pay.
For Ghana, the next stage of export growth must therefore be measured not only by the value of goods shipped abroad, but also by the strength of the businesses producing them, the jobs they create and the income retained locally.
The real test of Ghana’s export ambitions is whether local producers can compete profitably in global markets, rather than simply participate in them.
