Ghana

What is the implementation timeline for the GCX?

While helping to increase exports, Ghana’s depreciating currency, the cedi, has had a negative impact on a number of local industries relying on imported inputs, like manufacturing. As 2016 reached its close, though, a combination of measures appeared to be contributing to greater currency stability.

The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) has repeatedly pressured the government over the course of the past couple of years to take action against what it views as unfair trade practices, in particular from Nigeria and China. As a result, the government recently adopted protective measures, including establishing mechanisms to...

Ghanaian industry continues to display long-term growth potential across several sectors, including agro-processing, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), among others. In the short term, while many firms are investing in boosting productivity to take advantage of existing opportunities, significant challenges,...

By announcing a $26m grant to support local pharmaceutical production, the government has reiterated its support to the development of an industry it views as a pillar of economic growth. The timing of this initiative is welcome, as local firms struggle to obtain financial assistance at affordable lending rates.

While the automobile industry is yet to surpass peak sales levels achieved in 2012, the sector is slowly recovering its breath. The market is still largely dominated by second-hand sales, yet as the economic situation in Ghana stabilises over time, the country’s growing middle class and overall young and urban population could spur the...