The global fashion industry may be worth about $2 trillion, but in Ghana it is still widely perceived as a small-scale trade rather than a serious business sector capable of driving growth and job creation.
That perception, according to the Co-founder and CEO of WEAR Ghana, Awura Abena Agyeman is one of the major barriers preventing the industry from attracting the financing, policy support and investment needed to scale.
“So it’s time to change how we see the industry,” she said in an interview, stressing that fashion must be recognised as a legitimate industrial sector with the capacity to create jobs, grow exports and build globally competitive brands.
A Global Industry with Local Potential
Globally, fashion is one of the world’s largest economic sectors. Major brands such as Nike employ tens of thousands of people worldwide, while fast-fashion giant Shein recorded revenues of about $82 billion last year, a figure comparable to the size of Ghana’s entire economy.
Yet despite these global realities, many financial institutions in Ghana still treat fashion enterprises as informal tailoring businesses rather than scalable companies capable of industrial production.
“Sometimes when you go into a financial institution and you’re having conversations, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s fashion, it’s tabletop, it’s a tailor on the corner.’ No, we’ve gone beyond that,” she said.
According to her, Ghana already has garment manufacturing factories producing for some of the world’s biggest brands, an indication that the country has the skills and infrastructure foundation to grow the industry further.
Job Creation for Women and Youth
She noted that fashion and the wider creative industries could play a strategic role in addressing Ghana’s employment challenge, particularly for young people and women.
Because entry barriers are relatively low compared with many other industries, fashion businesses can absorb labour quickly while providing meaningful income opportunities.
“In countries like ours where we must create jobs quickly, the fashion and creative industries are structured in a way that allows us to provide employment faster and more meaningfully,” she explained.
Financing Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs
However, the sector also faces structural challenges, especially for women-led businesses.
The WEAR Ghana CEO recounted instances where female entrepreneurs seeking financing were discouraged simply because they had young children.
In one example, she said a woman was told directly by a lender that her loan application was risky because, as a mother, she might prioritise her children over business obligations if difficulties arose.
“What kind of society are we building?” she asked, arguing that women who nurture future productive citizens should not face financial discrimination.
She pointed to data suggesting women borrowers often demonstrate stronger repayment discipline than men, yet still struggle to access credit on equal terms.
Building Global Ghanaian Brands
Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic about the sector’s long-term prospects, especially if policymakers, financiers and educators begin to treat fashion as an industrial value chain rather than a cottage industry.
Her own ambition, she said, is to build a Ghanaian fashion company capable of competing with global giants.
“For Ghana and for Africa, our ambition is to build a company that can rival Nike,” she said.
Rethinking Fashion Education
She also called for reforms in fashion education, arguing that many training institutions still prepare students for small-scale tailoring rather than large-scale garment manufacturing.
At institutions such as Accra Technical University, she believes curricula should evolve to include modern production systems, digital pattern design and industrial manufacturing processes.
She pointed to neighbouring Benin as an example of how the sector can be industrialised. The country has developed an integrated textile and garment industrial park that spans the entire value chain from cotton production to finished garments, supported by training institutions within the same ecosystem.
“That is the level we should be thinking about,” she said, emphasising that large-scale manufacturing requires specialised training, technology parks and coordinated industrial policy.
Changing the Narrative
Ultimately, she believes the key to transforming the sector lies in changing public perception and highlighting success stories.
“Let’s show and tell. Let’s show the success stories. Let’s show the data that exists in our favour,” she said.
By showcasing thriving fashion businesses, particularly those led by women, she argues Ghana can begin to reposition the industry as a serious economic sector capable of contributing significantly to employment, industrialisation and export growth.
