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

Major buyers from the United States and South Africa showed interest in Northshore Apparel Ghana's garments even before the factory's production commenced in Savelugu. Sylvester Adinam Mensah, CEO of the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM), revealed this during the factory's commissioning on August 28. According to Mensah, the company received letters of intent from these international buyers prior to the factory's first garment being produced.

"Letters of intent from major buyers in the United States and South Africa arrived before the first seam was sewn," he stated. "The market has already chosen to believe in this factory. We simply had the good sense to believe in it first." Mensah emphasized that the early interest from potential buyers showcased the factory's export potential and its ability to compete in the global apparel market.

He also explained that the facility would utilize the African Growth and Opportunity Act and other trade agreements to export Ghana-made apparel to the USA and beyond, generating much-needed foreign exchange. The GEXIM CEO highlighted the project as a testament to Ghanaian-owned companies' capability to undertake large-scale industrial initiatives and compete internationally.

The Northshore Apparel Hub forms part of GEXIM's five-year strategic plan, which prioritizes investment in garment and apparel manufacturing as a catalyst for economic transformation. Backed by a blended financing model involving Germany's KfW Development Bank and project promoters' equity, the factory boasts 50 sewing lines, a 4,000-square-meter cutting and design facility, and 8,000 square meters of storage space for raw materials and finished products.

The first phase of the factory has generated 3,000 immediate jobs, with direct employment expected to increase to 10,000 once the facility reaches full operational capacity.