Ghana's non-traditional exports hit $5bn in 2025, up 30.7% – GEPA

Ghana’s non-traditional export (NTE) sector recorded $5.0069 billion in earnings in 2025, representing a 30.7 percent increase over the $3.83 billion achieved in 2024, according to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

The performance reflects strong growth in value-added exports and signals the early impact of the Accelerated Export Development Programme, the Authority said at the launch of its 2025 NTE Statistics Report in Accra on Friday.

Non-traditional exports refer to all export products other than the country’s traditional exports of cocoa, gold, crude oil, and timber, and are seen as critical to diversifying Ghana’s economy and boosting foreign exchange earnings.

The report showed that processed and semi-processed products continued to dominate the sector, contributing $3.09 billion, a 52.78 percent increase over 2024, and accounting for 83.47 percent of total NTE earnings.

Cocoa derivatives, including cocoa paste, butter, and powder, remained the single largest contributor, making up 33.18 per cent of the export basket.

Agricultural exports also grew significantly by 37.82 percent to $710.3 million, driven by cashew nuts, shea nuts, and bananas, with yam exports recording a sharp 559 percent increase.

 

In terms of markets, Europe remained Ghana’s largest destination for non-traditional exports, generating $2.29 billion, representing a 55.34 percent increase.