Ghana has intensified efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations with the United States following the official opening of a Ghana Trade House in Philadelphia by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).
The facility, the country’s first dedicated commercial presence on the US East Coast, forms part of a wider strategy to expand Ghana’s access to key global markets.
The Philadelphia Trade House adds to Ghana’s growing network of overseas trade hubs, following similar establishments in London in March this year and Kenya in 2023.
The centres are aimed at boosting the country’s commercial visibility abroad, supporting exporters, and providing structured pathways for market entry, investment promotion, and business partnerships.
The facility was inaugurated on the sidelines of the Invest Ghana Business Forum and Exhibition in the United States, with support from GEPA, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), and the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank.
It will function as a one-stop centre for Ghanaian businesses seeking to enter or expand within the American market.
Services on offer include market intelligence, trade advisory, export matchmaking, product showcasing, investment support in priority sectors, regulatory guidance under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and access to financing through the Ghana EXIM Bank.
Beyond trade facilitation, the centre is expected to enhance economic diplomacy by tapping into the Ghanaian diaspora in the United States, deepening bilateral relations, and supporting efforts to raise non-traditional exports to the US from $405.6 million in 2025 to $1 billion by the end of 2026.
Trade between Ghana and the United States continues to record steady growth, providing a strong foundation for deeper cooperation.
Figures from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the US Census Bureau indicate that total bilateral goods trade reached an estimated $2.5 billion in 2025.
US exports to Ghana increased by 32.6 per cent to $1.3 billion, while imports from Ghana stood at $1.2 billion.
This momentum has continued into 2026, with bilateral goods trade rising by more than 96 per cent year-on-year in March alone, signalling strengthening conditions for expanded commercial engagement.
Ghana’s key exports to the US in March 2026 included cocoa beans valued at $52.8 million and cocoa paste worth $40.9 million.
The country also remains the world’s leading exporter of yams, with the United States as its largest importer.
Alongside these traditional exports, Ghana is gradually expanding its presence in processed and semi-processed goods—a shift the new Trade House is expected to accelerate.
Speaking at the inauguration, GEPA Chief Executive Officer, Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, described the initiative as both symbolic and strategic.
“Today, we formally establish our flagship Export Trade House here in Philadelphia, and as Ghana remains one of Africa’s most compelling destinations for doing business and investment, we are here to make entering global markets as smooth and achievable as possible,” he said.
He noted that the Philadelphia launch builds on a series of major trade promotion successes this year. In February 2026, GEPA led a delegation of Ghanaian horticultural producers to Fruit Logistica in Berlin, securing purchase orders worth more than $350 million.
Subsequent missions to Macfrut in Italy and the Salon International de l’Alimentation (SIAL) in Canada generated additional orders exceeding $150 million and $100 million respectively.
At the Invest Ghana Business Forum, GIPC Chief Executive Officer, Simon Madjie, described the Trade House as a strategic national asset with the potential to strengthen Ghana’s global footprint and unlock new investment opportunities.
“When investors can see the quality of Ghanaian goods, understand the depth of local enterprise, and identify areas for partnership, they are more likely to move from curiosity to commitment,” he said.
He added that GIPC would continue to work closely with GEPA, other state institutions, diplomatic missions, the private sector, and diaspora networks to translate increased trade visibility into tangible investment outcomes.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Dr Mary Awusi, also said the initiative aligns with efforts to deepen export-led growth, boost investor confidence, and expand Ghana’s participation in global value chains.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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