- Ghana's Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) reached $3.9 billion in 2023, an 11.75% increase from 2022.
- The manufactures/semi-processed sub-sector led NTEs, earning $3.35 billion.
- Iron and steel products surpassed cocoa paste as the top NTE earner, generating $447.8 million.
Ghana’s Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) reached $3.9 billion in 2023, a significant increase from the $3.5 billion recorded in 2022 . This growth can be attributed to a combination of structural changes in Ghana’s NTE ecosystem and the effective implementation of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).
Ghana’s NTEs have been on a positive trajectory since 2018, and the growth rate for 2023 was an impressive 11.75 per cent, a considerable improvement compared to the 6.68 per cent growth rate recorded in 2022 . The manufactures/semi-processed sub-sector continues to be the major NTE sub-sector in contribution to total NTEs with export earnings at $3.35 billion .
The agricultural sub-sector in 2023 accounted for $495.8 million of total NTEs earnings compared to $509.9 million earned in 2022, indicating a 3.02 per cent drop in export revenue. However, the sub-sector contributed 14.47 per cent share to total NTE earnings in 2023.
The Industrial Art and Craft sub-sector increased by 2.43 per cent over 2022, to $95,736,322 with the sub-sector contributing 2.30 per cent to total non-traditional exports earnings. The overall growth of the Industrial Art & Craft sub-sector was 17.85 per cent, the high rise was caused by increasing demand for made-in-Ghana ceramic products across West Africa resulting in an expansion in the capacity of production plant and relentless trade facilitation efforts by GEPA.
Burkina Faso emerged as the top market destination for NTEs in 2023, with other Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries also contributing significantly. The Netherlands was the second top market for NTEs in 2023.
Iron and steel circles, rods, sheets, and billets emerged as the driving force behind this growth, surpassing cocoa paste to become the top NTEs earner, generating $447.80 million . The category saw a remarkable growth of 78.13% driven by demand from infrastructure and construction projects.
Ghana experienced a surge in total services exports, reaching $8.6 billion to reflect a diversified export portfolio and underscore the country’s international competitiveness . GEPA’s proactive initiatives played a pivotal role in enhancing exports, including market research, export promotion campaigns, and capacity building for exporters.
The CEO reiterated that GEPA spearheaded numerous projects and programmes in 2023, such as the Ghana Trade Houses, Women Icons Regional Exhibitions, Trade Fairs and Missions, Exporters Awards and Exporters Forum, Creative Sector Enhancement Programme, Youth in Export Programme (YiP), among others . These initiatives did not only promote made-in-Ghana products and services, but also facilitate networking, capacity building, and market expansion.
GEPA made substantial strides in promoting Ghana’s exports, enhancing sector capacities, and fostering international trade relations . The release of the NTEs statistics was a key aspect of GEPA’s operations, providing valuable insights that drive GEPA’s strategic initiatives forward.
A total of 1,702 companies, according to GEPA, were engaged in exporting 25 non-traditional products to 156 countries, with 88 exporters contributing 80 per cent of the total NTEs earnings
