Ofosu-Adjare: Trade Minister urges Japanese firms to back Ghana’s industrial drive
Ghana has declared its ambition to become Africa’s leading industrial hub, calling on Japanese businesses and global investors to partner with the country as it accelerates economic transformation.
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, made the appeal on Thursday, September 11, 2025, when she delivered the keynote address at the Ghana Business and Investment Forum during the Osaka Expo in Japan.
She told participants that Ghana was deliberately moving away from reliance on raw material exports to a diversified, value-added and innovation-driven economy, positioning itself as the ideal gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Our most compelling proposition lies in the fundamentals: macroeconomic stability, democratic resilience, and access to one of the largest free trade zones in the world,” the Minister said.
Outlining flagship initiatives, she cited the Feed the Industry programme, which links agriculture to manufacturing, the Accelerated Export Development Programme, designed to make Ghanaian products more competitive, and the National Apprenticeship and Skills Development Programme, which seeks to produce a technically skilled workforce for modern industries.
She also highlighted the Business Regulatory Reforms (BRR) Programme and the Unified Business Portal, describing them as “game-changing interventions” that are reducing bureaucracy and significantly improving Ghana’s investment climate.
Ofosu-Adjare identified key areas for collaboration with Japan, including agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles and apparel, automotive and electric mobility, and green industries. She stressed that Ghana was not merely seeking inflows of capital but was committed to building enduring alliances.
“Ghana is not simply inviting investment; we are inviting partnerships to co-create industries, co-develop markets, and co-deliver solutions that will benefit Africa and the world,” she affirmed, adding that the Expo marked a new phase in Ghana-Japan relations rooted in industrial cooperation and shared prosperity.