Export competiveness waning – report

The African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) has raised concerns over Ghana’s declining export competitiveness, which has fallen by 8.4 percentage points over two decades.

In its Country Economic Transformation Outlook (CETO) report, ACET highlights Ghana’s heavy reliance on low-complexity exports, with 94% of its export basket containing minimal technology content.

Raw materials make up 51% of exports, while intermediate goods account for 43%, reflecting limited value addition and industrial progress. The report attributes Ghana’s export structure to colonial patterns and path dependence, with gold, cocoa, and petroleum comprising over 75% of exports.

While exports to African markets have increased, diversification into high-value, technology-intensive exports remains slow. ACET stresses that expanding into high-value exports is crucial for economic resilience and long-term competitiveness.