The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has initiated a comprehensive programme aimed at strengthening regulatory transparency and eliminating trade bottlenecks under the AfCFTA framework.
This was announced at an inception meeting held on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the African Trade House in Accra, where representatives of key regulatory authorities convened to deliberate on Ghana’s Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Data Collection and Capacity-Building initiative.
The programme forms part of Ghana’s broader strategy to collect, classify and publish all trade-related regulations from Ministries and regulatory bodies. By integrating these measures into the SMARTAfCFTA Portal and UNCTAD TRAINS Online, the country seeks to enhance trade facilitation, minimise the occurrence of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and create a predictable environment for businesses.
Opening the session, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry underscored the significance of the initiative, highlighting that it would improve transparency, strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness, and support the private sector in navigating trade regulations.
Officials from the AfCFTA Secretariat and UNCTAD also delivered remarks, emphasizing the importance of NTMs within the context of the AfCFTA and outlining the technical process for data collection, classification and validation.
Ms. Kuena Molapo, Principal Officer on Non-Tariff Barriers at the AfCFTA Secretariat, facilitated the meeting. She further briefed participants on an upcoming capacity-building workshop scheduled for September 18–19, 2025, where regulatory institutions will present applicable trade-related laws to the private sector. The workshop will also introduce stakeholders to the AfCFTA online reporting platform, designed to help the private sector flag challenges and barriers encountered in cross-border trade.
In a closing statement delivered on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry by Mr. Benjamin Assiam, Acting Coordinator of the AfCFTA National Coordination Office, participants were commended for their active engagement and commitment. He stressed the need for sustained collaboration to establish a robust NTMs database that would not only enhance regulatory transparency but also reduce trade costs and strengthen the private sector’s role in continental trade.
Through this exercise, Ghana positions itself as a strong advocate of transparent trade governance, advancing efforts to ensure that the AfCFTA delivers on its promise of a barrier-free and competitive continental market.
