The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has underscored the central role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Ghana’s industrial and trade transformation agenda, saying the country must lead by example in demonstrating the benefits of intra-African trade.
Speaking on day two of the Kwahu Business Forum on Saturday, April 4, 2026, she said Ghana carries a unique responsibility as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat to translate policy into tangible outcomes for businesses across the continent.
“Underpinning all of this is our Africa Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Ghana carries a particular responsibility to demonstrate what intra-African trade can deliver in practice,” she said.
She noted that government efforts are focused on ensuring Ghanaian enterprises are equipped to take full advantage of the continental market, including access to rules of origin certification, tariff intelligence and critical market linkages.
“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.
The minister linked these efforts to broader plans to revitalize special economic zones, which are being repositioned as active industrial ecosystems focused on agro-processing and light manufacturing to support export competitiveness within Africa.
However, she stressed that the success of AfCFTA implementation would depend heavily on private sector readiness.
“None of these policies will deliver their intended outcome without a private sector that is prepared to meet government-enabling environment with commensurate investment in technology, skills, governance, and standard compliance,” she said.
