GEPA Launches Accra Trade House, Friday Market

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Ghana’s efforts to increase non-traditional export earnings are gaining another market-access platform following the launch of the Accra Trade House and Friday Market by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), an initiative designed to connect local businesses with buyers and strengthen the commercial reach of Made-in-Ghana products.

The facility, launched today in Accra on Friday, October 23, 2026, introduces a central location for consolidating products for distribution to Ghana’s existing trade houses in Nairobi, Philadelphia and London. It also provides a foundation for GEPA’s plans to extend its international presence into additional European markets.

The initiative combines two complementary functions: facilitating the aggregation of products destined for overseas markets and providing a recurring domestic marketplace where producers can showcase and sell their goods.

The approach is intended to help businesses improve product visibility, establish commercial relationships and identify opportunities for growth.

Speaking at the launch, GEPA Chief Executive Officer Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur said the facility would complement the authority’s existing export promotion activities by providing buyers with a permanent location to access Ghanaian products.

“The Accra Trade House provides a permanent marketplace that complements our trade fairs, buyer seller engagement and international market entry programmes.”

The launch comes against the background of improving export performance. According to GEPA’s 2025 Non-Traditional Export Statistics Report, Ghana earned approximately US$5.01 billion from non-traditional exports in 2025, up from US$3.83 billion in 2024.

The Accra Trade House is expected to support these efforts by bringing export-ready products together at a central location before they are dispatched to Ghana’s overseas trade houses.

This arrangement could make it easier to coordinate product availability and present a broader selection of Ghanaian goods to prospective international customers.The strategy is particularly relevant to businesses that may find it difficult to establish independent distribution networks or maintain a permanent presence in foreign markets.

Through coordinated export promotion, local producers can potentially reach buyers beyond their immediate commercial networks.Ghana’s 2024 non-traditional export performance illustrates the breadth of the opportunity. The country’s products reached 152 countries across 609 product lines, involving more than 1,500 exporting firms, according to figures reported following the publication of GEPA’s annual statistics.

These figures point to an established export base that could benefit from stronger buyer connections and improved market development.Mr Arthur identified Hamburg in Germany, Palermo in Italy and Amsterdam in the Netherlands as potential locations for additional trade houses as GEPA considers expanding its presence in Europe.The proposed locations would offer opportunities to explore new commercial relationships and increase the visibility of Ghanaian products among European buyers. However, their establishment remains part of GEPA’s expansion plans rather than a completed development.The chief executive also highlighted the importance of allowing prospective customers to interact directly with the products they intend to purchase. Physical access can enable buyers to assess product presentation, packaging and quality, helping them make informed purchasing decisions.

Mr Arthur said the facility was informed by the need to give buyers direct access to Ghanaian products, explaining that physical interaction with goods and their producers could strengthen confidence and encourage commercial transactions.

The market will operate on the last Friday of every month from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., giving producers a designated space to display and sell their products directly to consumers, wholesalers, retailers and institutional buyers.The product range will include cocoa derivatives, cashews, bananas, yams, plantains, pineapples, handicrafts and other export-ready goods. The selection brings agricultural produce and value-added products into one marketplace, creating opportunities for businesses operating across different segments of the production and supply chain.

GEPA expects the platform to provide businesses with opportunities to test their products, obtain feedback, strengthen their brands and establish new commercial connections. These activities could be especially valuable to enterprises that have developed products but have limited access to organised sales channels.Mr Arthur said the Friday Market would give small and medium-sized enterprises opportunities to test their products, gather customer feedback, build business connections and strengthen their brands.The market’s effectiveness will depend on attracting consistent participation from producers and buyers. Regular attendance, competitive products and reliable supply will be important in establishing the facility as a commercially useful destination rather than simply a venue for occasional product exhibitions.

‘’The Accra Trade House could therefore become a useful link between product promotion and the wider support needed to prepare enterprises for international trade.’’

Its value will be measured not only by the number of products displayed but also by the commercial relationships established, orders generated and businesses that successfully enter new markets.The initiative also aligns with the government’s Accelerated Export Development Programme, under which GEPA is pursuing increased non-traditional export earnings and broader market opportunities for Ghanaian businesses.GEPA has reaffirmed its commitment to helping businesses develop export-ready products, explore new destinations and increase their contribution to the national economy.The monthly market will provide a recurring opportunity for producers to engage customers at home, while the aggregation facility will support the movement of products towards established overseas trade houses.

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