- African Imports Grow Faster Than Ghana’s Exports – GSS Report
Ghana strengthened its position as a net exporter within Africa in 2025, recording a GH¢34.70 billion trade surplus as commercial exchanges with countries across the continent expanded sharply.
Data contained in the Ghana Statistical Service’s 2025 Annual International Merchandise Trade Statistics Report shows that exports to African markets rose to GH¢70.30 billion from GH¢59.50 billion in 2024.
Imports from the continent increased more rapidly, climbing to GH¢35.60 billion from GH¢27.40 billion over the same period.
The movements raised Ghana’s total trade with Africa to GH¢105.90 billion in 2025, representing growth of 21.86% from GH¢86.90 billion a year earlier.
The trade surplus consequently expanded by 8.10% from GH¢32.10 billion in 2024, confirming that Ghana continued to sell significantly more goods to African countries than it purchased from them.
The performance highlights the growing importance of African markets to Ghana’s external trade and supports the case for deeper implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
However, the underlying figures also show that imports from Africa grew faster than exports.
Ghana’s exports to the continent increased by 18.15%, while imports advanced by 29.93%. As a result, exports were equivalent to about 1.97 times imports in 2025, compared with 2.17 times in the previous year.
The narrowing ratio suggests that although Ghana maintained a sizeable surplus, demand for goods produced elsewhere in Africa expanded more rapidly than Ghanaian sales to regional markets.
The country exported goods to 51 African countries in 2025, down slightly from 52 in 2024. Its African import base, however, widened from 51 to 54 countries, indicating greater geographical diversification on the import side.
South Africa remained Ghana’s dominant export destination within the continent, receiving 58.70% of all exports to Africa.
Burkina Faso followed with 16.80%, while Togo and Côte d’Ivoire accounted for 5.50% and 5.20%, respectively.
Together, the four markets absorbed 86.20% of Ghana’s exports to the continent, revealing a high degree of concentration despite the country trading with more than 50 African economies.
On the import side, Nigeria accounted for 31.90% of Ghana’s purchases from Africa, followed by South Africa at 11.60%, Morocco at 8.30% and Togo at 7.90%.
The composition of trade varied significantly by market.
Gold dominated exports to South Africa, accounting for 95.50% of Ghana’s shipments to the country in 2025. South Africa received goods valued at approximately GH¢41.30 billion, making it by far Ghana’s largest continental export market.
Exports to Burkina Faso reached about GH¢11.80 billion and were more diversified, although gold represented 47.00% of the total. Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria followed with export values of GH¢3.80 billion, GH¢3.70 billion and GH¢2.80 billion, respectively.
Ghana’s imports from Nigeria rose to GH¢11.40 billion, with mineral fuels and oils representing 81.10% of the total.
That concentration reflects Ghana’s continued reliance on regional petroleum supplies and means that its African import bill remains exposed to oil-price movements and energy-market disruptions.
Nigeria’s fuel share increased from 23.00% in 2024, representing a rise of 58.10 percentage points.
Imports from South Africa amounted to GH¢4.10 billion, while Morocco supplied GH¢3.00 billion. Purchases from Togo and Côte d’Ivoire reached GH¢2.80 billion and GH¢2.10 billion, respectively.
The figures show that Ghana is benefiting from African demand, particularly for gold and goods transported into neighbouring West African markets.
But the heavy concentration of exports in gold and a small number of destinations limits the broader industrial benefits that regional trade could provide.
For the AfCFTA to drive economic transformation, Ghana will need to increase exports of manufactured goods, processed foods, pharmaceuticals and other value-added products rather than depend primarily on minerals.
The GH¢34.70 billion surplus demonstrates that African trade is already an important source of foreign-exchange earnings.
The next challenge is to convert that numerical advantage into more diversified production, stronger regional supply chains and sustainable employment within Ghana.
