Ghana’s non-traditional exports rose sharply in the first half of 2025, supported by policy reforms, market diversification and expanded trade diplomacy, the Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said at the Government Accountability Series.
Export earnings from non-traditional goods reached $2.54 billion between January and June 2025, a 41.2% increase from a year earlier, the minister said, citing value addition and improved market access under the Accelerated Exports Development Programme. The government has set a target of $10 billion in non-traditional exports by 2030.
A key policy intervention was the extension of the export proceeds repatriation period from 60 to 120 days, following consultations with the Bank of Ghana. The minister said the change had improved competitiveness for exporters operating in regional markets where longer settlement periods are common.
The ministry has also held discussions with counterparts in neighbouring countries to ease cross-border road transport for exports, addressing payment, tax and transit challenges that had constrained trade flows.
Ghana’s export push has been reinforced by international engagement. Participation in the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, was followed by a 50-member Japanese investment delegation visiting Ghana, with interest in automotive components, cocoa processing and cash-crop value chains. Ghana also received an award for best national theme at the expo.
Through the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, growers received 211,606 coconut seedlings, two million pineapple suckers, and planting inputs aimed at boosting export volumes. The authority supported SMEs at international trade fairs, helping secure export orders valued at $350 million, while handicraft and manufacturing firms generated an additional $250 million through global buyer-seller platforms.
In a first for Ghana, the minister noted that 26 metric tonnes of mangoes were transported by road to Morocco, signalling progress in regional logistics and perishables trade.
The ministry also cited gains under the African Continental Free Trade Area, including the registration of 27 AfCFTA-focused Free Zones enterprises and export earnings of $973.4 million from Free Zones companies in 2025, alongside $165 million in new investment and about 1,600 jobs created.
On market access, the minister detailed diplomatic and technical engagement with the United States following the expiry of AGOA and the imposition of tariffs. Ghana played a role in securing a three-year extension of AGOA through coordinated lobbying with other eligible countries. Parallel talks with China are advancing an Early Harvest Agreement under Beijing’s zero-tariff offer.
