GEPA Strengthens Data Systems, Signs Zambia Trade Pact
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has intensified efforts to strengthen Ghana’s position as a leading hub for non-traditional exports (NTEs), combining a rigorous review of export data with a new strategic trade partnership in Southern Africa.
In Accra, the Authority has begun a comprehensive technical validation of its 2025 non-traditional export performance figures, even as it formalised a trade alliance with the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) aimed at deepening regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The data review brought together senior technical officers from customs, investment and trade-related institutions to scrutinise the yet-to-be-published 2025 NTE statistics. GEPA officials say the exercise is critical to ensuring accuracy, credibility and investor confidence as Ghana works toward its target of achieving US$10 billion in non-traditional export earnings by 2030.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, GEPA’s Deputy CEO in charge of Administration and Operations, Mr Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh, said the review was a proactive step to safeguard the integrity of the report, which is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2026.
“This process is about building a unified data ecosystem that can withstand the scrutiny of international investors and regional trade partners. Strong inter-agency collaboration ensures that our export data truly reflects the capacity and performance of Ghanaian exporters,” Mr Nsarkoh noted.
He added that the technical session would be followed by field-level data reconciliation, during which export figures would be verified directly with companies to ensure the final report accurately captures the country’s export performance.
Alongside the domestic data exercise, GEPA is expanding its regional footprint. During the recent state visit of President John Dramani Mahama to Zambia, Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambia Development Agency as part of a broader package of ten bilateral agreements.
In a statement, GEPA said the MoU “provides a framework for collaboration aimed at promoting exports, facilitating market access, supporting private sector engagement and encouraging investment opportunities between the two countries.”
The partnership will focus on reducing non-tariff barriers, promoting business-to-business linkages and developing opportunities in shared priority sectors such as agribusiness and value-added manufacturing.
GEPA believes that aligning credible data with strategic regional partnerships will strengthen Ghana’s negotiating position and accelerate continental market access. Early signs are positive, with the Authority’s half-year 2025 report indicating a 41.21 per cent increase in export earnings, reinforcing optimism about the “Made in Ghana” brand’s growing presence across Africa.
