Ghana and UK Unveil 2026-28 Growth Plan as Trade Surpasses GBP1.6 Billion
- His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Africa Alastair Long confirmed that UK-Ghana trade has surpassed GBP1.6 billion
- Deputy Minister Sampson Ahi shared that UK foreign direct investment in Ghana has reached GBP1.8 billion, supporting over 44,000 jobs
- The UK-Ghana Trade and Investment Summit 2026 brought together top officials to map out a new growth roadmap for 2026 to 2028
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The trade relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom has crossed the GBP1.6 billion mark, with senior officials from both countries calling for deeper investment ties across agriculture, technology, manufacturing and the digital economy.
Source: UGC
Alastair Long, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Africa, announced this during an interview at the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce's (UKGCC) Trade and Investment Summit 2026, held under the theme "A Decade of Trust, A Future Always On: Scaling the UK-Ghana Growth Partnership."
Long described the current bilateral relationship as a solid base for broader economic cooperation, stressing that the true measure of success lies not just in trade volumes but in the jobs and livelihoods that commercial activity generates on both sides.
He pointed to Ghanaian agricultural exports, including mangoes and bananas, as a growing presence on British shelves, and said both economies stand to gain from scaling up export flows while encouraging more UK businesses to plant roots in Ghana.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Hon. Sampson Ahi told attendees that Ghana recorded GDP growth of 6 per cent in 2025, followed by a 6.4 per cent expansion in the first quarter of 2026.
"These numbers tell every investor in this room that Ghana is predictable, Ghana is stable, and Ghana is ready," he said.
Hon. Ahi shared that UK foreign direct investment in Ghana has reached GBP1.8 billion, backing more than 670 projects and creating upwards of 44,000 jobs.
He also drew attention to the newly signed UK-Ghana Growth Partnership for 2026 to 2028, describing it as a practical framework for accelerating industrial development and unlocking private-sector opportunities.
He urged investors to tap into Ghana's strategic location, its expanding workforce, and the preferential market access the country enjoys through the African Continental Free Trade Area.
"Bring your technology. Bring your patient capital. Bring your demand for quality and sustainability. In return, we offer a stable policy environment, a government that listens, and a people whose ingenuity has never been in short supply," he urged.
Ghana's High Commissioner urges quality over volume
Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK and the Republic of Ireland, Sabah Zita Benson, echoed calls for a partnership anchored in value addition, technology transfer and skills development rather than raw trade numbers.
She spotlighted Ghana's role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat as a compelling incentive for UK investors seeking a gateway into the broader African market.
Benson also encouraged the Ghanaian diaspora in the UK to channel their expertise and networks into supporting development back home.
UKGCC Executive Director Adjoba Kyiamah, marking the chamber's tenth anniversary, said indigenous Ghanaian businesses should use the UK as a launchpad to access capital, expertise and global markets.
The three-day summit is backed by institutions including GCB Bank, PwC Ghana, Fidelity Bank Ghana, Ecobank Ghana, Guinness Ghana Breweries and Kasapreko, among others.
UK names new airport entry system
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK had announced a new border entry system that would allow travellers to walk through airport eGates without touching a passport reader.
The phased rollout began on 6 October 2026 at East Midlands Airport and would initially cover British citizens. However, authorities expected the upgrade to reach all eligible airports by early 2027.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
