Harmonising standards, ensuring steady raw material supply, and connecting regional production are becoming key priorities to accelerate Africa’s industrialisation, supported by policies that back local industries, encourage value addition, and promote collaboration under AfCFTA.
Speaking at the Africa Trade Summit in Accra during a Ministerial Dialogue on “Accelerating Africa’s Industrial Transformation,” Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, highlighted the importance of harmonising standards across the continent.
“Industrialisation will remain elusive if African producers continue to face multiple and duplicative standards regimes across the continent,” she said, noting that Ghanaian products often undergo repeat testing in other countries despite already being cleared locally. She described the process as “a waste of time and resources for businesses.”
The Minister also identified access to raw materials, affordable financing, land, and incentives as critical to industrial growth. Ghana has introduced the Feed the Industry Programme to link agricultural production directly to industrial demand, providing factories with a stable supply of inputs. In a bid to strengthen domestic manufacturing, the government has banned exports of selected non-ferrous raw materials to ensure value is added locally before products leave the country.
On the financial front, Ofosu-Adjare emphasised that stabilising macroeconomic conditions have helped maintain predictable interest rates. Institutions like EXIM Bank are supporting export-oriented industries, and the Minister called for “innovative and blended financing options, combining government support, private capital, development finance, and donor funding to ease the burden on manufacturers.”
Strategically, the Minister outlined Ghana’s focus on sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and automotive component manufacturing, stressing that targeted incentives and sector prioritisation are essential for scaling operations. She further advocated for regional value chains, encouraging African countries to coordinate production across borders instead of competing in isolation to fully leverage the AfCFTA.
H.E. Fatou Haidara, Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), reinforced the call for regional cooperation, warning that fragmented national strategies will limit the potential of AfCFTA. She stressed the need for integrated industrial policies, supportive infrastructure, and investment-ready projects to unlock sustainable financing for industrial expansion.
Liberia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Magdalene E. Dagoseh, added that uneven political will, skills gaps, and slow implementation continue to impede continental industrial integration. She urged African nations to accelerate the execution of value addition commitments and strengthen regional collaboration.
The dialogue concluded with a shared vision: African governments must harmonise standards, invest in skills and infrastructure, and link national industrial plans with regional and continental strategies to foster sustainable industrial growth.
