Trade between Ghana and Canada rises 56% to $752m in 2025

Bilateral merchandise and services trade between Ghana and Canada experienced a significant surge in 2025, expanding by 56 percent year-on-year to reach $752 million, according to announcements made at Canada’s 159th National Day reception in Accra.

The growth signals a strategic shift in the Ghana-Canada relationship from traditional aid-based engagement to a more dynamic partnership centered on trade, investment, and mutual economic benefit.

Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms. Myriam Montrat, revealed the trade figure during the National Day celebrations, emphasizing that through trade and investment, Canadian companies are contributing expertise, technology, and innovation to Ghana’s development trajectory.

She noted that the 56 percent increase reflects intensifying trade relations and demonstrates untapped potential for deeper commercial collaboration between the two nations.

Ms. Montrat also announced plans for Canada to host an Investment Summit later in the year, aimed at de-risking opportunities and showcasing investment prospects to international stakeholders, including Ghanaian businesses seeking to expand their global footprint.

Analysis of the trade composition reveals complementary economic structures: Canada’s exports to Ghana are dominated by higher value-added manufactured goods such as cereals, machinery, transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, and industrial products, while Ghana’s exports to Canada remain focused on primary commodities including cocoa and cocoa products, gold, soybeans, and other agricultural products.

This pattern highlights opportunities for value chain development, particularly in sectors like agribusiness processing, renewable energy components, and digital services, where Ghana can add value to Canadian inputs and vice versa.

Both countries are positioning themselves to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose Secretariat is headquartered in Accra, to enhance market access and deepen economic integration.

Ghana’s strategic role as the gateway to the AfCFTA market of 1.4 billion people is expected to improve Canada’s access to the African continent and reduce effective trade barriers for Canadian investors.

Priority sectors identified for increased Canadian investment in Ghana include agribusiness, renewable energy, manufacturing, digital technology, infrastructure, and responsible mining, aligning with Ghana’s development objectives and the AfCFTA’s goal of fostering industrialization across the continent.

Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, characterized the AfCFTA as creating a “new investment thesis for Canada in West Africa,” highlighting the transformative potential of the agreement for bilateral economic relations.

The Minister welcomed the evolution from development cooperation to a partnership grounded in commercial viability, technology transfer, and capital formation, noting that collaboration in the identified sectors offers strong employment multipliers and prospects for inclusive, sustainable growth.

Beyond economic cooperation, Ghana and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to joint efforts in peace and security, climate action, education, and multilateral engagement, indicating a broad-based partnership that addresses multiple dimensions of international relations.

With trade volumes at historic levels and policy frameworks aligned around the AfCFTA, analysts anticipate continued trade creation effects, growth in foreign direct investment stock, and strengthened integration into global value chains throughout the 2026-2030 period.

The strengthening economic ties between Ghana and Canada exemplify how South-North partnerships can evolve beyond traditional aid models to become engines of mutual prosperity and technological exchange.