Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare Charges Ghana to Set the Pace for Practical AfCFTA Implementation

Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare calls on Ghana to lead the AfCFTA by transforming economic zones into industrial hubs and boosting local manufacturing.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 11:04 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Graphic Online.

Ghana’s Mandate as the Continental Trade Capital

As the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Ghana is under increasing pressure to serve as the primary success story for intra-African commerce. During the Kwahu Business Forum on April 4, 2026, Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare emphasized that the nation’s leadership role extends beyond administrative hosting to the practical demonstration of economic transformation. She argued that Ghana must proactively set the global standard for how regional integration can drive industrial growth and reduce the continent’s $2.5 billion annual loss from raw material exports.

Equipping Local Enterprises for Global Competition

The Ministry of Trade is intensifying efforts to lower the barriers to entry for Ghanaian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking to enter the continental market. Key initiatives include providing streamlined access to rules of origin certification, tariff intelligence, and digital market linkages. Ofosu-Adjare noted that these tools are essential for local businesses to navigate the complex regulatory landscapes of other African nations, ensuring that Ghanaian products can compete effectively on both quality and price across the 54-member trade bloc.

Repositioning Economic Zones as Industrial Ecosystems

A central pillar of Ghana’s 2026 trade strategy is the total overhaul of its free zones and special economic areas. The government is moving away from purely administrative zones toward "active industrial ecosystems" with a heavy focus on light manufacturing and advanced agro-processing. By creating these localized hubs, Ghana intends to add value to its primary commodities before export, addressing a long-standing structural weakness where the nation loses billions in potential revenue by shipping raw goods rather than finished products.