Ghana’s Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) earnings for 2022 amounted to $ 3.53 billion, a significant six per cent increase over the $3,330 billion earned in 2021.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Dr Afua Asabea Asare, who disclosed this at the launch of the 2022 NTE Report in Accra on Wednesday, noted that the impressive growth of Ghana’s NTEs, which contributed over 20 per cent of the country’s total export revenue, was achieved through various interventions under the framework of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).
According to the CEO, the implementation of the NEDS was critical in facilitating the growth of the NTE sector. The strategy emphasized improving market access, raising product quality and standards, encouraging value addition and exploring emerging markets.
“These initiatives have resulted in the overall strengthening and diversification of Ghana’s NTE sector. Prominent among them being interventions in the Agribusiness sector, Youth in Export Program, Export School Training for SMEs and female Entrepreneurs,” she noted.
She stated that the NTEs’ percentage contributions to the total national exports in the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 19 per cent, 18 per cent, 20 per cent, 23 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
She also stated that NTE contributed 20.22 per cent of all exports of goods, with cocoa paste as the top NTE earner at USD 520.26 million.
Dr Asare cited cocoa paste, cashew nuts, cocoa butter, iron and steel circles, rods, sheets, billets, articles of plastics, aluminium plates, sheets, coils, canned tuna, natural rubber sheets, cocoa powder and shea oil as the top ten NTE products for 2022. Notably, cocoa paste was the highest earner, accounting for $520.3 million and followed by cashew nuts at $294.2 million. With US$92.6 million, shea oil was the lowest earner.
“Cumulatively, the total value of the top ten leading products amounted to US$2,150 million representing 60.9 per cent of total NTE earnings for 2022,” she noted.
On the sector-by-sector contribution to the NTE, she said the manufacturing sector contributed $2.938 billion representing 83.25 per cent, the agriculture contribution was $509.9 million representing 14.47 per cent and industrial arts and crafts contributed $81,24 million representing 2.30 per cent.
She also disclosed that Ghana’s NTEs were exported to 155 countries, with five distinct market destination groups represented, including ECOWAS, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom, Other Developed Countries, the rest of African Countries, and Emerging Countries.
“In 2022, the ECOWAS market was the leading destination for NTEs, representing 34.59 per cent of the total market, while the EU & UK markets contributed 31.90 per cent,” she added.
She stated that 2220 companies exported 604 non-traditional products, adding that “120 exporting companies’ earnings accrued to US$3.053 million contributing 80 per cent of total NTEs for 2022.”
On the export of services from Ghana, Dr Asare disclosed that the country earned $ 8.25 billion in service exports in 2022.
She noted that GEPA’s strategy in the services sector was focused on four key areas: IT and IT-Enabled Services, Medical Tourism, Education and Consultancy Services, and other professional services.
She stated, “GEPA sponsored and supported the participation of 16 reputable Ghanaian universities in a GEPA-organized Students’ Recruitment Fair in Lagos. University of Ghana, KNUST, Central University, Wisconsin, University of Health and Allied Sciences, UDS and Academic City were among institutions that participated in the Fair.”
In 2022, she added, GEPA signed an MOU with the International Trade Centre Netherland Trust Fund to develop and promote SMEs in the IT and IT-enabled space in Ghana.
She further highlighted GEPA’s outlook for 2023 stating, “Aside from other major ongoing interventions include aggressive implementation of the various projects under the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) in collaboration with relevant agencies and robust value-addition campaigns/programs through enhanced investments in Agro-Processing, additionally, there will be participation in selected International Trade Fairs, Expos and Trade Missions, organization of maiden Inbound Fairs in various sectors, a Market mission to Burkina Faso which is the leading NTEs destination, Market research/study tour of 15 selected African markets, students’ recruitment drive in Senegal, Gambia and Cape Verde.”
On her part, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Madam Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, who launched the report expressed satisfaction at the growth and acknowledged the resilience of Ghana’s NTEs amid global economic challenges.
She also commended the efforts of individuals within the export value chain and the export fraternity for their relentless work, which contributed to the positive outcome of the 2022 NTE statistics.
Patience Anaadem, ISD
