Non-traditional exports: Ghana records $3.83bn revenue in 2024 

Mr. Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur is the CEO of GEPA.

In 2024, Ghana's Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) earned US$3.83 billion.

These exports reached 152 countries and included 609 product lines.

Over 1,500 firms participated in exporting these products.

The NTEs have shown steady growth, boosting overall export performance.

On May 15, 2025, GEPA launched the NTEs statistics in Accra.

The total earnings were $3,830,806,432 for 2024.

This was a decrease from $3,944,146,727 in 2023.

The decline was about 2.87% compared to last year’s figures.

Reduced iron and steel exports to ECOWAS caused this dip.

However, other sectors showed encouraging gains.

From 2020 to 2024, NTEs grew at an average rate of 6.01%.

They accounted for 18.75% of total merchandise exports in 2024.

During the launch event, Mr. Kwarteng Arthur spoke about the results.

He noted that despite the slight decline, NTEs are vital for Ghana's exports.

Improved competitiveness helped streamline export procedures and processing times.

Ghana's NTEs performed strongly in African markets as well.

Africa represented 45% of all NTEs; ECOWAS made up over 94% of AfCFTA exports.

"This report confirms the vision and perseverance of Ghanaian exporters," he said.

It shows how Ghana asserts itself globally amid economic challenges.

Manufactures and Semi-Processed sectors contributed over 83% to total earnings.

Cocoa paste saw a significant growth of 35.54%, driven by demand from Europe and North America.

Mr. Kwarteng Arthur emphasized Ghana’s competitive edge in cocoa products.

The Agricultural sector increased its contribution to 13.48%.

The Industrial Arts and Crafts sector grew nearly by 23%.

This highlights global interest in Ghana’s creative exports.

He affirmed GEPA's strategy to enhance regional trade through various protocols like ECOWAS and AfCFTA.

Looking ahead, GEPA will implement the Accelerated Export Development Programme aggressively.

They plan to expand market intelligence activities and build new trade relationships.

GEPA aims to boost medical tourism and structured labor export as well as IT-enabled services offerings.

Additionally, they want to partner with tertiary institutions for student placements in Africa’s market.

The NTEs sector is crucial for Ghana’s sustainable economic transformation.

Mr. Kwarteng Arthur encouraged Ghanaians to diversify their export base further.

Mr. Sampson Ahi officially unveiled the report as Deputy Minister of Trade.