(3 Minutes Read)
Ghana’s efforts to position itself as a competitive trade and manufacturing hub are being constrained by prolonged clearance times at its ports, according to the World Bank. Despite a relatively strong regulatory environment, inefficiencies in border operations continue to slow trade flows and raise costs for businesses involved in imports and exports.
World Bank data shows that it takes an average of nine days to clear exports through Ghana’s ports, while imports can take up to 23 days—significantly longer than in several peer African economies. In Cameroon, for instance, comparable clearance processes are completed within five to eight days.
These concerns were highlighted during a high-level Business Ready (B-READY) consultation held in Accra on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. Addressing public-sector officials, private-sector stakeholders and development partners, Senior Economist at the World Bank’s Business Ready Unit, Subika Farazi, pointed to border-related inefficiencies as a major factor eroding Ghana’s competitiveness.
According to Farazi, the port delays reflect a broader pattern identified under the World Bank’s B-READY assessment. While Ghana performs strongly in terms of regulatory design, it struggles with operational efficiency—the practical implementation of rules and procedures that directly affect businesses. “Ghana’s performance under the regulatory framework pillar is strong,” Farazi noted, “but when it comes to operational efficiency, several comparable countries, including Togo, Senegal, Cameroon and Cape Verde, record better outcomes.”
World Bank rankings place Ghana first among its peers in the regulatory pillar and second—after Togo—in public service delivery. However, inefficiencies at border posts continue to impose additional costs on traders, reduce predictability and weaken the country’s ability to compete in regional and global markets. At the sectoral level, Ghana shows strong results in financial services, labour and business entry. In contrast, areas closely linked to trade competitiveness, such as market competition, record weaker scores. Overall business readiness ranges from approximately 72 percent in financial services to about 34 percent in market competition, underscoring persistent structural bottlenecks.
The consultation focused on constraints affecting food processing, light manufacturing and trade facilitation—priority sectors under the government’s 24H⁺ initiative aimed at boosting industrial activity and job creation. Participants examined how regulatory reforms, improved border management and faster clearance procedures could support private-sector growth.
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The World Bank emphasized that reducing clearance delays and strengthening operational efficiency could deliver some of the fastest and most impactful improvements to Ghana’s business environment. Such reforms are seen as critical as the country seeks to take full advantage of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and enhance its attractiveness as a trade and logistics hub.
