Ghana is advocating for a fundamental shift in its economic relationship with Türkiye, moving from conventional trade arrangements toward joint industrial ventures, technology sharing, and strategic co-investment. The call came at the 5th Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul this week, where Ghana’s delegation outlined how Africa and Türkiye can deepen partnerships to navigate global economic turbulence and create sustainable prosperity.
Speaking at the forum under the theme “Leveraging Türkiye-Africa Relations for Mutual Gains,” Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, emphasized that both regions must evolve beyond traditional import-export models. He stressed that meaningful progress requires trust, policy alignment, and structures that ensure mutual benefit rather than one-sided transactions.
Ghana highlighted Africa’s substantial untapped potential through several key assets. The continent’s rapidly expanding young population represents both a demographic dividend and consumer market opportunity. Additionally, the African Continental Free Trade Area, headquartered in Accra, creates unprecedented opportunities for integrated continental commerce. Ghana itself is advancing industrial competitiveness through initiatives including the Accelerated Export Development Programme, Feed the Industry Programme, Made-in-Ghana Promotion Campaign, and the Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Programme.
Agribusiness remains central to Ghana’s economic transformation strategy, with government policies targeting stronger value chains, increased productivity, and greater small business participation in export markets. Deputy Minister Ahi pointed out that the continent’s global agribusiness market, valued at approximately 3.5 trillion dollars in 2024, is projected to reach nearly 5.8 trillion dollars by 2033, presenting substantial opportunity for ambitious partnerships.
Türkiye has evolved significantly from a trading partner to a strategic investor in Ghana’s economy. Turkish investment now spans infrastructure, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Bilateral trade between the nations reached 888 million dollars in 2023 and is projected to exceed 900 million dollars by 2025. Both governments are targeting one billion dollars in trade by 2027, signaling confidence in deepening ties.
However, Ghana indicated that future growth must extend beyond current trading patterns. At present, Ghanaian exports consist primarily of gold and cocoa while Turkish goods dominate manufactured imports. The Deputy Minister called for economic focus to shift toward joint industrial ventures in high-value sectors, particularly pharmaceutical production, renewable energy, agri-food processing, and digital infrastructure.
Achieving this transformation will require deliberate policy harmonization, investment mechanisms that reduce business risks, and strengthened public-private collaboration to attract and retain long-term capital. These structural changes, Ghana argued, are essential for sustained growth beyond cyclical commodity trade.
Ghana characterized Türkiye and Africa as “natural partners,” pointing to Türkiye’s geographic position bridging Europe and Asia, and Africa’s emergence as a global growth frontier. The Deputy Minister proposed a new South-South economic cooperation framework built on shared ambition and innovation rather than traditional donor-recipient dynamics.
Ghana also emphasized its readiness to deepen engagement with Türkiye in turning forum outcomes into tangible investment partnerships that accelerate industrialization. The government appears committed to translating dialogue into concrete action, particularly through mechanisms supporting technology transfer, skills development, and joint ventures that benefit both nations.
The forum represented Ghana’s broader push to reshape its international economic partnerships. While housing, infrastructure, and trade discussions dominated Ghana’s involvement at TABEF, the overarching message centered on transforming relationships from transactional commerce into transformational co-creation that builds institutional capacity and shared prosperity across sectors.
