Ghana: Ghana's merchandise exports have surpassed imports for the first time in nearly two decades, a new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has indicated.
According to Ghana News Agency, the report titled "Ghana's Merchandise Trade Statistics 2004-2025: Two Decades in Review," revealed that exports accounted for 61.3 percent of total trade in 2025, compared to 32.1 percent in 2004. In contrast, imports, which constituted 67.9 percent of trade in 2004, reduced to 38.7 percent by 2025.
Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, Government Statistician, highlighted that Ghana sold more goods to the world than it purchased in only seven out of the 21 years under review. He stated that a significant shift occurred in 2023, when Ghana returned to a trade surplus, maintaining a positive balance since then.
The report detailed that Ghana achieved a trade surplus of GHS 5.3 billion in 2023, which escalated to GHS 44.7 billion in 2024, and reached a record GHS 148.3 billion in 2025. Total merchandise exports saw a rise from US$1.93 billion in 2004 to US$32 billion in 2025, while imports increased from US$4.09 billion to US$20.5 billion in the same period. Overall trade expanded from US$6 billion in 2004 to US$52.5 billion in 2025.
Dr. Iddrisu remarked that the improvement in Ghana's trade balance had bolstered the country's standing in international trade and enhanced foreign exchange earnings. However, he warned that sustaining these benefits would necessitate broader export diversification and augmented value addition to local products.
The report identified gold as Ghana's top export commodity, making up 63.1 percent of total exports in 2025. It advised increased investment in processing industries, support for non-traditional exports, and initiatives to boost the involvement of small and medium enterprises in export markets.