Ghana to Review National AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan in 2026
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Ghana will undertake a comprehensive review of its National African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Policy Framework and Action Plan in early 2026 to align it with newly introduced continental protocols and strengthen the country’s readiness for full-scale participation under the agreement. Acting National AfCFTA Coordinator, Mr. Benjamin Asiam, announced the move at a national dialogue on the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.
The policy framework, first developed in August 2022, serves as Ghana’s national roadmap for boosting its share of intra-African trade by providing a stable, predictable and supportive environment for private sector growth. Officials say the review has become essential following the introduction of eight additional protocols under AfCFTA, expanding the scope of implementation far beyond the initial focus on trade in goods.
“It is imperative that we review the document to take on board the other protocols,” Mr. Asiam said, noting that the revisions will help the country synchronise national strategies with new areas such as digital trade, investment, competition policy, intellectual property, and the protocol on women and youth.
The dialogue, organised by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), brought together policymakers, private sector leaders and development partners to examine how the new protocol can advance inclusive trade outcomes.
Mr. Asiam highlighted the significant contributions of women and youth to Ghana’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector, stressing that their participation was critical to realising the benefits of AfCFTA. However, he said this group continued to face structural barriers such as limited access to finance, capacity gaps and weak market linkages.
“We need to remove the constraints they face so they can be effective. If we can take away these constraints, the economy will do well,” he said.
He emphasised the need for stronger national systems to collect and analyse sex- and age-disaggregated trade data, explaining that effective targeting of policy interventions depends on accurate, comprehensive information. “We must build a robust national trade data system to enable evidence-based monitoring of how women and youth are engaging with AfCFTA markets,” he added.
In a speech delivered on her behalf, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Madam Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said government welcomed the adoption of the protocol and remained committed to shaping an inclusive roadmap for its rollout. She noted that wide-ranging stakeholder engagement across government agencies, the private sector, civil society and development partners, would be crucial for Ghana to maximise the benefits of continental trade.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Niloy Banerjee, reaffirmed the organisation’s support for Ghana’s AfCFTA agenda, describing the agreement as a major pathway to inclusive development. He highlighted UNDP’s ongoing initiatives to strengthen MSME competitiveness, including export readiness training, support for Ghanaian businesses to participate in African trade fairs, and research on non-tariff barriers and digital trade systems.
Mr. Banerjee said these efforts were intended to help Ghana build a more resilient, competitive private sector capable of taking full advantage of continent-wide opportunities as AfCFTA implementation deepens.
