US, South African buyers expressed interest in Northshore Apparel before production began — GEXIM CEO

Before Northshore Apparel's new factory in Ghana began producing garments, major buyers from the United States and South Africa expressed interest in purchasing their products. Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM), Sylvester Adinam Mensah, revealed this during the factory's commissioning ceremony on August 28.

According to Mensah, the company had received letters of intent from these prospective international buyers prior to the factory's first garment being sewn. He emphasized that the market had already placed confidence in the factory, stating, "The market has already chosen to believe in this factory. We simply had the good sense to believe in it first."

Mensah highlighted the early interest as a testament to the factory's export potential, enabling it to become a formidable competitor in the global apparel market. He also noted that the facility would leverage the African Growth and Opportunity Act and other trade agreements to export Ghana-made apparel to the United States and other international markets, generating crucial foreign exchange for Ghana.

Describing the factory as a testament to wholly Ghanaian-owned companies undertaking large-scale industrial projects and competing internationally, Mensah stated that the project aligned with GEXIM's five-year strategic plan, which prioritizes investment in garment and apparel manufacturing as a key driver of economic transformation.

Supported by a blended financing model involving the German KfW Development Bank and equity from project promoters, the factory boasts 50 sewing lines, a 4,000-square-meter cutting and design facility, and 8,000 square meters of storage space for both raw materials and finished products. The first phase of the factory has created 3,000 immediate jobs, with direct employment expected to increase to 10,000 once the facility reaches full operational capacity.