Scrutinising pre-bagged cement entering Ghana from neighboring countries

Lately, as I have been keeping an eye on Ghana’s vibrant markets and construction sites, one thing that has caught my attention is the sudden availability of a particular cement brand from Togo at prices that undercut the competition.

It’s popping up in shops from Accra to Kumasi, promising affordability in a time when building costs are squeezing everyone’s wallets. But as an interested bystander following the news, I find myself asking: Is this Togo-imported cement as reliable as it is cheap, or could it be contributing to the ongoing issues with unauthorized and substandard products in our industry?

With recent crackdowns making headlines, it’s worth taking a closer look to ensure we’re not trading safety for savings. From what I’ve gathered, this cement is produced and shipped from Togo. This company grinds imported clinker into Portland cement.

In Ghana, a distributor operating out of Tema, imports these products, often in 50kg bags, via ports or border crossings, then handles basic bagging before selling them nationwide.

This isn’t about local production; it’s an import-focused strategy that keeps prices low, sometimes aligning with Togo’s regulated rates like 81,000 CFA francs per ton in June 2025.

The appeal is clear: In a market where cement prices have been a sore point, with producers defying orders to declare ex-factory rates in May 2025, this affordability could be a game-changer for small builders.

However, Ghana’s cement sector has been plagued by quality malpractices, prompting intense regulatory action.

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has ramped up efforts, deploying 300 inspectors and testing 82 samples in April 2025 alone, leading to shutdowns of factories using inferior materials like quarry dust instead of limestone.

In March 2025, Minister of Trade, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare ordered the GSA to close substandard producers, and by July, warnings were issued for immediate sanctions. Companies like Xin An Safe Cement, Kumasi Cement, and Unicem have faced strict government action, highlighting risks to building safety from weak structures.

This brings us to concerns about unauthorized products. Ghana’s Export and Import (Restrictions on Importation of Portland Cement) Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2240), prominently require import licenses and inspections for commercial Portland cement to safeguard local quality and markets. With Ghana importing significantly from Togo, US$171.2 million in 2023, including cement, there’s a push to restrict imports of locally producible goods, as championed by Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, in May 2025.

Yet, details on this brand’s specific authorizations remain unclear in public records, raising questions about whether these imports are fully vetted. Past complaints from local manufacturers about “illegal” imports echo this, especially in a market with overcapacity and a moratorium on new factories since 2020.

Moreover, with Ghana as Africa’s largest clinker importer, vulnerable to global disruptions, relying on Togo’s production might expose us to quality variances, despite Togo’s own standards implementation in 2024.

The GSA’s new cement regulation, effective in 2024, mandates re-registration for all companies to meet standards, but it’s uncertain if such importers are under the same microscope.

In the end, while these low prices are tempting, the silence on compliance amid widespread crackdowns makes me cautious. As observers, we should push for transparency from the GSA and Ministry, thorough testing and clear licensing details, to confirm its not fueling malpractices.

Affordable building materials are key to Ghana’s growth, but not at the expense of sturdy homes and safe infrastructure. Let’s hope authorities address this soon, so we can build with confidence.