AfCFTA Opens Bigger Markets for Ghana
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Ghana recorded a GH¢34.7 billion trade surplus with Africa in 2025, up from GH¢32.1 billion in 2024, reinforcing its position as one of the continent’s leading trading economies. However, the latest Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) Annual International Merchandise Trade Statistics Report indicates that the greater opportunity lies in using the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand exports beyond gold and other primary commodities.
The report notes that Ghana’s trade policy is increasingly focused on positioning the country as a leading export-driven economy within West Africa and the wider AfCFTA market. Achieving this goal, it says, will require greater emphasis on manufacturing, value addition and product diversification rather than relying predominantly on commodity exports.
Ghana’s regional trade network continued to expand in 2025, with imports sourced from 54 African countries, up from 51 in 2024, while exports reached 51 countries across the continent. The broader market access, according to the report, provides a strong foundation for increasing the range of Ghanaian products traded within Africa.
Despite this progress, exports remain heavily concentrated in gold. South Africa retained its position as Ghana’s largest African export destination, accounting for 58.7 percent of exports to the continent. Of that, 95.5 percent consisted of gold, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on a single commodity for regional trade earnings.
In contrast, exports to neighbouring Burkina Faso, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire reflect a more diversified trade pattern, including household plastics, iron and steel products, ceramic sanitary ware, mosquito coils and packaging materials. These manufactured goods demonstrate the potential for Ghanaian industries to deepen regional value chains and benefit from AfCFTA’s objective of boosting intra-African trade in value-added products.
The GSS report recommends strengthening trade infrastructure, improving border efficiency, reducing trade bottlenecks and supporting regional value chains to help businesses take full advantage of AfCFTA. It also identifies small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as key drivers of export-led growth, stressing the need for policies that enable them to compete effectively across African markets.
While Ghana’s trade surplus reflects strong regional performance, the report suggests the country’s next challenge is increasing market participation through industrial expansion. By growing exports of manufactured goods, processed agricultural products, construction materials and industrial inputs, Ghana can broaden its export base, reduce dependence on commodity cycles and maximise the opportunities created by AfCFTA.
