The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has called on the Ghanaian private sector, insisting that the ambitious goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will only be realised if businesses step up their investment in modern technology and governance.
Speaking on Saturday, 4th April 2026, during the second day of the Kwahu Business Forum, the minister laid out a vision where Ghana does not just host the AfCFTA Secretariat but actively defines the success of intra-African commerce through industrial excellence.
Ms Ofosu-Adjare noted that as the seat of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana is under a continental spotlight. She argued that the nation must move beyond the prestige of hosting the headquarters and start producing the tangible outcomes that other African nations can emulate.
“Underpinning all of this is our African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Ghana carries a particular responsibility to demonstrate what intra-African trade can deliver in practice,” she asserted.
To bridge the gap between policy and profit, the minister revealed that the government is intensifying its support for local firms. This includes providing critical data on tariff structures across the 54 other member states and streamlining the often-complex rules of origin certification.
“We are working to ensure that Ghanaian enterprises have access to rules of origin certification, tariff intelligence, and market linkages necessary to compete and win in the continental market,” she added.
Central to this strategy is the repositioning of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). These zones are being transformed from mere industrial hubs into active ecosystems specifically tailored for light manufacturing and agro-processing, sectors where Ghana holds a competitive edge in the regional export market.
Despite the government’s focus on infrastructure and policy, the minister was blunt about the limitations of state intervention. She warned that the “enabling environment” provided by the ministry would be “sterile” if local businesses remained stagnant in their traditional methods of operation.
“None of these policies will deliver their intended outcome without a private sector that is prepared to meet a government-enabling environment with commensurate investment in technology, skills, governance, and standard compliance,” she warned.
The Minister’s remarks signal a shift toward a more reciprocal relationship between the state and industry, where government-backed market access must be met by high-standard, tech-driven production from the private sector to ensure Ghana wins the race for the continental market.
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