Vice President Urges Enhanced Support for Value Addition and Export Competitiveness
Accra, Ghana – Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has issued a strong call to the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) to significantly bolster its support for value addition, industrial production, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This strategic imperative, she stated, is crucial for fortifying the nation’s export capacity and ensuring its competitiveness in an increasingly intricate global trade landscape.
The Vice President articulated these points during the GEXIM@10 International Conference, a significant event held in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. The conference, organised by GEXIM itself, commemorated a decade of the bank’s operational milestones and served as a platform to chart a forward-looking trajectory for Ghana’s export trade and industrial transformation.
Acknowledging the bank’s contributions over the past ten years across vital sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and non-traditional exports, Vice President Opoku-Agyemang underscored the necessity for more robust institutional frameworks and expanded export financing. These enhancements are deemed essential for facilitating Ghana’s ascent up the global value chain. She emphasised that the dynamic shifts occurring in global trade necessitate deliberate policy interventions that prioritise value addition and systematically improve the competitiveness of domestic industries.
The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Sampson Ahi, characterised the conference as a practical forum designed to confront and resolve persistent challenges within the export sector. Key among these identified impediments are restricted access to finance, substantial compliance costs, and a prevailing lack of export readiness among many businesses.
Sylvester Adinam Mensah, Chief Executive of GEXIM, provided an overview of the bank’s accomplishments during its first decade. However, he also signalled a strategic pivot towards a more focused and results-driven operational model. This new approach will place a pronounced emphasis on critical economic sectors, the robust growth of Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), and the expansion of trade finance instruments.
Key Discussions and Strategic Imperatives
The opening day of the conference was abuzz with insightful discussions, with a central theme revolving around the pivotal role that export-import banks play in elevating national competitiveness. Furthermore, participants delved into the evolving contributions of development finance institutions across the African continent.
In a separate, yet equally important session, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Asiamah, highlighted the critical importance of exchange rate stability as a cornerstone for enhancing export performance. He stressed the need for a delicate policy balance, fostering investor confidence, and implementing more sophisticated trade financing systems.
Participants actively engaged in exploring innovative strategies designed to unlock the latent export potential residing within micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This exploration included a deep dive into novel financing models, encompassing:
- Guarantee Schemes: Mechanisms to underwrite export transactions and mitigate risks for financial institutions.
- Collateral Support Systems: Innovative ways to facilitate access to credit for businesses with limited tangible assets.
- Risk-Sharing Mechanisms: Collaborative approaches between financial institutions and businesses to distribute and manage export-related risks.
The conference also dedicated time to examining the transformative impact of digital technology and artificial intelligence. These advancements are seen as crucial for improving access to export finance and for strengthening the overall architecture of trade systems.
The deliberations and insights garnered from this significant gathering are anticipated to culminate in a set of actionable recommendations. These recommendations will serve as a guiding framework for the subsequent phase of GEXIM’s operations, supporting Ghana’s overarching ambition to cultivate a more resilient and export-driven economy. The focus remains firmly on empowering local industries, adding value to raw materials, and strategically positioning Ghanaian products and services for greater success on the international stage.
