Ghana’s Top 10 Non‑Traditional Exports Hit $3.28 Billion in 2025

What Happened

Ghana’s top 10 non‑traditional export (NTE) products generated $3.28 billion in 2025, a 53% increase from the $2.15 billion recorded in 2024, according to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) 2025 Non‑Traditional Export Statistics report.

If that sounds like a statistic, here is the real meaning: Ghana is no longer exporting only raw cocoa beans, shea nuts, and cashews. The country is now processing more of these commodities at home and selling them at higher prices. That shift matters because processed goods retain more value in the local economy, create industrial jobs, and generate more stable foreign exchange than raw commodities.

What Are Non‑Traditional Exports?

In Ghana, “non‑traditional exports” refers to all export products excluding the four traditional commodities: cocoa beans, gold, crude oil, and timber. This category includes processed cocoa products (paste, butter, powder), shea nuts and shea oil, cashew nuts, manufactured goods (plastics, aluminium, iron and steel), seafood (canned tuna), and agricultural products such as yams and pineapples. Understanding this definition helps explain why the NTE sector is often called the “silent engine” of Ghana’s export diversification strategy.

The Numbers: Top 10 Non‑Traditional Exports in 2025

The top 10 NTE products accounted for 65.48% of total NTE earnings, with an average export value of approximately $327.86 million per product. Below is the full ranking based on GEPA data:

Source: Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) 2025 Non‑Traditional Export Statistics report

The Cocoa Processing Shift

The most significant story in the 2025 data is the transformation of Ghana’s cocoa sector. Cocoa paste alone earned $789.3 million, a 70.97% jump from 2024. Cocoa butter surged 120.18% to $635.7 million, and cocoa powder rose 112.97% to $233.8 million.

What that means: Processed cocoa ingredients – paste, butter, and powder – now dominate Ghana’s cocoa‑related exports. International buyers (confectionery, beverage, and cosmetics industries) are purchasing these value‑added forms rather than raw beans. For local processors, this is a direct signal that investing in grinding and refining capacity pays off. The more Ghana processes at home, the higher the export value per ton of cocoa.

Agricultural Powerhouses: Shea, Cashew, and Yam

Beyond cocoa, shea products posted exceptional growth. Shea nuts nearly doubled, rising 116.51% to $177.8 million. Shea oil added $174.3 million, up 15.43%. Global demand for natural shea butter in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food products appears to be driving this increase.

Cashew nuts contributed $297.6 million, a 10.15% increase, reinforcing Ghana’s position as a reliable supplier. Meanwhile, the broader agricultural NTE category grew 37.82% to $710.3 million, with yam exports recording a 559% increase. That yam surge partly reflects a data reconciliation exercise that corrected years of underreporting, but the underlying trend shows that traditional staples can find serious international traction when properly recorded and marketed.

Industrial and Seafood Gains

Manufacturing and fisheries also delivered strong performances. Articles of plastics earned $275.4 million, up 37.85%. Canned tuna rose 37.34% to $213.5 million, indicating sustained demand for processed seafood. Aluminium products – plates, sheets, and coils – increased 50.48% to $164.8 million, supported by stronger external industrial demand.

The only notable decline was in iron and steel products, which dipped 1.59% to $316.5 million. GEPA attributed this decline to fluctuating global prices and rising competition in the international market.

The Broader NTE Picture

The top 10 products are just the headline. Total NTE earnings across all products reached $5.0069 billion in 2025, a 30.7% increase from $3.83 billion in 2024. Processed and semi‑processed products contributed 83.47% of total NTE earnings, growing 52.78% year on year.

In terms of markets, Europe remained the largest destination, generating $2.29 billion (up 55.34%). Africa accounted for 30.36%, driven largely by intra‑ECOWAS trade. North America recorded the highest growth rate at 82.40%, while Asia grew by 14%. The Netherlands emerged as Ghana’s leading export destination, followed by Burkina Faso, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Togo.

Why This Matters for the Economy

According to the Bank of Ghana’s preliminary 2025 trade data, total export earnings reached approximately $31.2 billion. The NTE sector therefore contributed about 16% of that total. But the real impact goes beyond the headline figure. When NTE earnings rise, the central bank accumulates more foreign exchange, which helps stabilize the cedi and anchor inflation over time.

That chain is worth spelling out. Higher NTE earnings → more foreign exchange reserves → greater capacity to defend the cedi → moderated import costs → less pressure on consumer prices. What happens in Ghana’s agro‑processing plants and export depots, in other words, can influence the cost of living for ordinary Ghanaians.

The sector now spans hundreds of different products, from processed foods and horticultural produce to manufactured goods and handicrafts. That diversity is a structural buffer against commodity price shocks. When global cocoa prices fall or oil revenues dip, a broad export base absorbs those shocks more gradually, because many products do not move in the same direction at the same time.

Policy Context: The $10 Billion Target

In May 2025, President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated the Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP) with a target of growing non‑traditional export earnings from $3.5 billion annually to at least $10 billion by 2030. The 2025 results are an early sign of momentum toward that goal.

GEPA Chief Executive Officer Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur has argued that the Authority’s current 10% share of the import levy already produces outsized results. He has called for an increase to 20%, stating: “If 10 per cent can generate over $5 billion in export earnings, then 20 per cent will yield even greater results in foreign exchange generation, job creation and industrial transformation.”

Key government interventions in 2025 included support for SMEs to participate in international trade fairs, facilitation of direct export shipments, and capacity‑building programmes for over 2,000 exporters. Officials have also discussed stronger local‑processing policies, including potential restrictions on raw cashew, shea, and rubber exports in the future, though no formal ban has been gazetted as of April 2026.

Business Takeaways: Where the Opportunities Are

For investors, entrepreneurs, and existing exporters, the 2025 data points to clear opportunities:

• Cocoa processing – The demand for cocoa paste, butter, and powder is accelerating. Investors who expand processing capacity or improve efficiency will capture higher margins.
• Shea value addition – With shea nuts nearly doubling and shea oil growing steadily, there is room for more refining and packaging for export.
• Cashew processing – Ghana still exports a significant portion of its cashew raw. Local processing could multiply export value.
• Yam and horticulture – The 559% yam surge (partly due to data reconciliation) shows that traditional staples have export potential. Cold chain infrastructure remains a key bottleneck.
• Manufacturing for export – Plastics, aluminium, and processed seafood all posted strong growth. The Gomoa Central Special Economic Zone, a $1.5 billion industrial park announced in 2025, is designed to anchor this transition from import dependence to export orientation.

For SMEs, GEPA has been running capacity‑building programmes and facilitating participation in international trade fairs. The 24‑Hour Economy policy and the Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP) offer incentives for businesses that shift toward value‑added production and round‑the‑clock operations.

If you need personalized legal assistance with export registration, business setup, or navigating Ghana’s trade regulations, use the form below:

Sources

• MyJoyOnline: “Ghana’s top 10 Non‑Traditional Exports skyrocket to $3.28bn” (April 19, 2026)
• Ghana News Agency: “Ghana’s non‑traditional exports hit $5bn in 2025, up 30.7% – GEPA report” (April 19, 2026)
• GBC Ghana: “Cocoa paste leads Ghana’s top 10 non‑traditional exports in 2025, following 53% surge” (April 19, 2026)
• NewsGhana: “How Ghana’s Non‑Traditional Exports Are Quietly Anchoring the Economy” (April 18, 2026)
• GBC Ghana: “Ghana sets $10bn target for non‑traditional exports by 2030” (May 6, 2025)
• NewsGhana: “Behind Ghana’s 559% Yam Export Surge: A Data Story” (April 19, 2026)