More than 1,000 small and medium enterprises in Ghana have been vetted and equipped to leverage openings under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has revealed.
The Acting Head of the National Coordination Office at the ministry, Benjamin Asiam, said the effort was part of Ghana’s push to help domestic firms gain from the continent-wide trade deal.
Contributing to a panel on the topic, “Unlocking Africa’s Single Market: How Can Ghanaian Businesses Win Under AfCFTA?” on Channel One TV on Thursday, June 11, 2026, on Channel One TV, Mr Asiam noted that government rolled out a market expansion scheme to strengthen SMEs and ready them for trade across Africa.
“A number of SMEs were screened, more than 1,000 SMEs were screened. SMEs that were exporting into the African space were identified. Those that were exporting outside but had a capacity to take advantage of the AfCFTA were also looked at. And then SMEs that were producing in Ghana and had a capacity to take advantage were all shortlisted and then given capacity in different areas,” he said.
He explained that the programme focused on companies already shipping goods within Africa, businesses serving non-African markets, and local manufacturers with room to grow under AfCFTA.
Mr Asiam added that the move was among wider steps Ghana took after the trade pact took effect, including crafting a National Policy Framework and Action Plan to steer the country’s engagement.
He pointed out that the training drive was later supported by the Guided Trade Initiative, through which Ghana teamed up with seven other nations to pilot AfCFTA trade protocols and ease commerce between member states.
The African Continental Free Trade Area aims to build a unified market for goods and services across the continent, giving firms access to over 1.4 billion consumers.
