The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has recorded an impressive 11.75% growth in Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) for 2023, with total earnings amounting to $3.944 billion.
This marks a notable increase from the $3.531 billion recorded in 2022.
Speaking at the Minister’s Press Briefing in Accra on Sunday, the Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Osafohene Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, attributed the growth to a surge in exports of key products such as iron and steel circles, rods, and billets, which led the pack with earnings of $447.8 million.
Other top performers included cocoa paste, which brought in $340.6 million, cashew nuts at $263.5 million, and cocoa butter at $241.3 million.
Dr. Asare highlighted that sectors such as Agribusiness, Manufactures, Industrial Arts and Crafts as well as Services
“Agribusiness accounted for 12.56% of the total export earnings,” she noted.
She further explained that Ghana’s alignment with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) had been a key driver of the growth. In 2023 alone, exports to AfCFTA member countries accounted for $1.78 billion of the total NTE earnings.
“AfCFTA presents a huge opportunity for Ghana’s export industry, and we are working tirelessly to position local businesses to benefit from this single continental market,” Dr. Asare stated.
In addition to the growth in exports, GEPA is also making significant strides in empowering women in the export sector through its flagship initiative, the SheTrades Ghana Hub.
The project aims to connect women entrepreneurs with international markets, helping them scale their businesses globally.
In the agricultural sector, GEPA is pushing to expand Ghana’s export supply base. Dr. Asare cited the Coconut Revitalization Programme as a prime example, noting that one million disease-resistant coconut seedlings had already been distributed across 15,625 acres of farmland.
The initiative is expected to create 350,000 jobs along the coconut value chain, with plans to distribute an additional 500,000 seedlings in 2025.
“This is a crucial step in boosting the output of coconut and creating employment opportunities for many Ghanaians,” she remarked.
The steady growth in NTEs underlines the potential of Ghana’s export industry and its increasing role in the global market, driven by strategic initiatives and partnerships.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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