Speaking at the launch of the Africa Trade Summit 2026, on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 in Accra, the Minister declared that government’s industrial agenda is now firmly anchored on value addition to ensure long-term productivity and global competitiveness.
Minister Ofosu-Adjare noted that for too long, African economies have “exported raw potential only to import finished prosperity.” She emphasised that the Ministry is deliberately advancing policies to ensure that resources like cocoa, cashew, shea, and palm oil are processed locally before they leave Ghana’s shores.
“The Ministry recognises that industrial transformation begins with value addition,” the Minister remarked. “We are creating an environment where domestic producers capture more of the wealth generated from African resources.”
To drive this shift, the Minister highlighted several key government programmes designed to scale industrial output:
- The 24-Hour Economy:A central pillar designed to boost manufacturing, logistics, and agro-processing through round-the-clock productivity.
- Feed the Industry:A strategic link between contract farmers and industrial processing zones to ensure a steady supply of raw materials for local factories.
- Garment Sector Expansion:Plans to establish three large-scale garment factories in the Central, Bono East, and Eastern regions, expected to create 27,000 jobs.
- Agro-Processing Plants:The operationalisation of seven plants across the country focusing on value chains such as yam, fish, poultry, and shea butter.
The Minister also underscored Ghana’s unique advantage as the host of the AfCFTA Secretariat. She stated that by improving domestic production standards and maritime logistics—including the expanded Tema and Takoradi Ports—Ghana is positioning itself as the manufacturing gateway to a continental market of 1.3 billion people.
“Produced in Ghana now means access to a $3.4 trillion market,” she noted, calling for stronger partnerships between the government and private investors to bridge the industrial financing gap.
Eben Agyekum-Boateng, 3Business
