In a move to revamp Ghana’s struggling non-ferrous metal recycling industry, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is set to engage key stakeholders including scrap metal exporters and local processors at a high-level meeting on June 16, 2025. The talks will focus on resolving raw material shortages that are crippling local operations, threatening jobs, and undermining foreign exchange potential.
The decision to convene the meeting is part of broader government efforts to improve the industrial ecosystem, stimulate job creation, and boost Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings through value-added exports.
During a recent familiarization tour of Recyclers Ghana Limited at Shai Hills, Deputy Trade Minister Sampson Ahi acknowledged the widening gap between industrial processing capacity and the availability of raw scrap materials.
“If you look at the capacity of the factory as against the amount of raw material that it gets in processing, definitely there is a deficit, there is a shortfall,” Ahi observed, echoing concerns raised by domestic processors.
The local industry, represented by the Non-Ferrous Association of Ghana, has long advocated for an export ban on non-ferrous metal scrap to retain value within the economy. Non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, copper, brass, and zinc are vital inputs for manufacturing and construction, prized for their corrosion resistance and recyclability.
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Manesh Kumar Jangir, a director at Recyclers Ghana Limited, painted a stark picture of the industry’s struggles. “Sixty per cent of Ghana’s non-ferrous scrap metal is exported raw,” he said, attributing the local shortage to unchecked overseas shipments.
Jangir estimates that Ghana loses up to $250 million annually in potential foreign exchange due to the export of unprocessed scrap, largely undervalued by as much as 70 percent on international markets. He stressed that “banning scrap exports could create over 3,000 jobs and strengthen the currency.”
Currently, Recyclers Ghana operates at just 30 percent of its capacity, employing only 150 workers well below its potential due to the lack of steady scrap supply.
A Case for Industrial Protection
Analysts say the upcoming meeting offers an opportunity to recalibrate national scrap export policy and protect the local recycling sector. With industries running at suboptimal levels and some factories shutting down, the government is under increasing pressure to act.
The Ministry is expected to weigh various proposals, including export quotas, licensing reforms, and an outright ban on certain categories of non-ferrous scrap. The aim is to ensure a sustainable balance between domestic industrial needs and export ambitions.
As the Trade Ministry prepares for the June 16 dialogue, expectations are high that bold policy steps will emerge to stabilise the sector, retain more value onshore, and make Ghana a competitive player in the global recycling and metals processing space.
