President Mahama, Ato Forson clear path for Ghana’s US$9bn agro-industrial potential

Ghana may have identified a crucial policy opening to transform its agricultural sector into a major processing, manufacturing and export industry. The key driver is President John Dramani Mahama's 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development programme. This initiative, combined with the removal of excise duty on locally manufactured fruit juices, proposed incentives for machinery and equipment, and improved macroeconomic stability, presents a powerful platform for the emergence of new agro-industrial businesses.

Ghana's agro-industrial potential could exceed US$9 billion annually, supporting over 800,000 jobs across farming, processing, manufacturing, packaging, logistics, research, and exports. The removal of excise duty on locally manufactured fruit juices is a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by Ghanaian agro-processors, who have long struggled with taxes, expensive imported machinery, high financing costs, and supply inconsistencies.

The 24-Hour Economy programme also provides incentives for industrial expansion and retooling, allowing factories to import machinery and equipment without paying duties and taxes. This, in turn, could improve the economics of domestic processing, encourage farmers to expand their acreage, and create demand for nurseries, irrigation, labor, packaging, transportation, and distribution.

Ghana's agricultural advantages, combined with industrial processing capabilities, could position the country favorably in the global market for healthy foods, functional foods, plant proteins, natural beverages, nutraceutical ingredients, and wellness products. Identifying and capitalizing on agricultural and industrial strengths could enable Ghana to capture a commercially meaningful share of the global healthy-foods market, estimated at US$1.16 trillion in 2026.