Distribution of merchandise imports to Ghana 2023, by region of origin

In the second quarter of 2023, Ghana imported most of its merchandise from the Far East, covering 33.6 percent of the total imports. The European Union (EU) followed, at 23 percent. Within the quarters observed, the Far East and the European Union (EU) led Ghana's merchandise import regions.

China in the import lead

Ghana is one of the African countries mainly importing from China, after Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. The East Asian country was Ghana’s leading import trade partner in 2019, accounting for 24 percent of the country’s imports. In 2020, Ghana’s imports from China reached more than 6.7 billion U.S. dollars, representing an increase of around 37 percent compared to the preceding year. Specifically, food products imported from China amounted to approximately 207 million U.S. dollars.

Ghanaians import motor vehicles

Goods imported into Ghana reached a total of 13.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. Manufactured goods registered the highest import value compared to other commodities such as agricultural products, fuels, and mining products. For instance, imports of motor cars and transport vehicles used to transport persons and goods amounted to about 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2019, representing the leading imported product in the country.