GH¢31bn informal cross-border trade faces hurdles despite AfCFTA commitments
Informal cross-border trade in Ghana, estimated at GH¢31 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, continues to face significant operational challenges, raising concerns about the country’s ability to fully harness the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Despite its contribution to the economy, small-scale traders, particularly women, are confronted with complex border procedures, undocumented levies, prolonged transit delays, inadequate infrastructure and limited access to trade information. The figures, cited from the Ghana Statistical Service at a stakeholder dialogue in Aflao in the Volta Region, indicate that informal cross-border trade was approximately 54 per cent higher than trade recorded through formal land channels during the period. It also represe…