GEPA engages the Western Regional Minister on strategies to boost export growth

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is strengthening its engagement with the Western Regional Coordinating Council as part of efforts to identify and develop export opportunities within the region and contribute to Ghana’s broader export growth agenda.

The Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur Esq., made this known during a working visit to the Western Region, where he paid a courtesy and working visit to the Western Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Nelson. The meeting explored practical areas of collaboration between GEPA and the Regional Coordinating Council to support businesses and unlock the region’s export potential.

The engagement forms part of GEPA’s efforts to translate the Government’s Reset Agenda and 24-Hour Economy into increased productive activity and export opportunities. Discussions focused on how the Western Region can leverage its natural resources, industrial base, emerging enterprises and strategic economic position to expand production, add value to local resources and connect more Ghanaian products to international markets.

The CEO emphasised the need to move beyond identifying resources and businesses with potential and focus on developing them into commercially viable enterprises capable of competing in export markets. This includes identifying products with market potential, building productive capacity, improving value addition and creating stronger connections between producers and international markets.

GEPA is implementing the Accelerated Export Development Programme as part of this broader approach, while working with institutions including the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) and Ghana EXIM Bank to strengthen coordination within the export ecosystem.

The Authority is also advancing the One District, One Exportable Product initiative, which seeks to identify and develop products with export potential in districts across the country. For the Western Region, the initiative presents an opportunity to identify products that can be developed around the region’s existing economic strengths and positioned for domestic and international markets.

The collaboration with the Western Regional Coordinating Council is expected to help bring export development closer to businesses and productive sectors within the region.

By linking regional economic opportunities with technical support, investment, finance and market access, GEPA aims to help enterprises increase production and build the capacity required to participate more effectively in international trade.

The Western Region’s economic potential also provides an important platform for job creation, investment and increased export earnings. Under the 24-Hour Economy, expanding productive activity and supporting enterprises to operate at greater capacity can create additional opportunities for businesses to produce consistently and meet demand in export markets.

Ghana’s Non-Traditional Export (NTE) performance in 2025 provides a strong indication of the potential for further growth. The country recorded over US$5 billion in NTE earnings, demonstrating the capacity of Ghanaian businesses to generate significant export value when supported with the right market opportunities, productive capacity and institutional support.

The engagement with the Western Regional Coordinating Council therefore represents part of GEPA’s wider effort to identify opportunities across the country, develop them into viable export businesses and increase the contribution of Ghanaian products and services to national export earnings.