Ghana Export Promotion Authority(GEPA) board chairman ,Godfred Seidu Jasaw says the sharp rise in non-traditional export earnings in 2025 underscores the early impact of government-led industrial and trade reforms, even as global conditions remain uncertain.
Non-traditional exports expanded by 30.7% year-on-year, a performance he described as a “historic milestone” driven by a mix of policy support and private-sector resilience. Speaking at the launch of the 2025 NTE Statistics Report in Accra, Dr Jasaw pointed to initiatives such as the Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP) and the 24-hour economy policy as key catalysts, helping to boost production, deepen value addition and widen market access.
The data suggest a structural shift in Ghana’s export model. Cocoa derivatives led the surge, with cocoa paste generating about $789m (up nearly 71%), cocoa butter more than doubling to roughly $636m, and cocoa powder rising over 110% to about $234m. The broader export basket also strengthened, with top products’ earnings climbing from around $2.15bn in 2024 to $3.28bn in 2025.
Beyond cocoa, gains in shea products, plastics, aluminium and processed tuna point to a gradual broadening of the country’s industrial base and stronger regional trade integration. Still, weaker performance in iron and steel highlights ongoing exposure to global price cycles and competition.
Dr Jasaw said the report reflects growing participation by small and medium-sized enterprises, improved quality standards and increased use of technology across the export chain—trends that are gradually repositioning Ghana as a more competitive player in global trade.
Economic impact and outlook
The acceleration in non-traditional exports carries significant macroeconomic implications. Higher-value, processed exports improve foreign exchange inflows and reduce reliance on raw commodity shipments, helping to stabilise the cedi and strengthen external balances. Expanded processing also supports job creation across agriculture, manufacturing and logistics, reinforcing the government’s industrialisation agenda.
Crucially, the shift towards value addition enhances Ghana’s resilience to commodity price shocks. By capturing more of the value chain domestically, the economy becomes less exposed to volatile global prices for raw materials.
However, sustaining this momentum will depend on consistent policy execution—particularly reliable power supply, access to affordable financing and continued investment in infrastructure and standards compliance. Without these, the gains in processing and export diversification could stall.
With a stated ambition of reaching $10bn in non-traditional exports by 2030, the current trajectory suggests progress is achievable—but not guaranteed. For now, the 2025 figures offer a clear signal: Ghana’s export strategy is beginning to move beyond volume towards value, with tangible implications for growth, jobs and economic stability.
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