Doris Dokua Sasu
Research Expert Ghana and Nigeria
Import trade in Ghana - statistics & facts
Imports form a significant proportion of Ghana's trade activities. Specifically, commodities derived from the manufacturing, agricultural, and mining industries have contributed to import trade. In the second quarter of 2023, most of Ghana's imports came from the Far East and Europe. Moreover, China was the country's leading import trade partner as of 2022. Despite the relevance of the imports, Ghana has relied extensively on export trade over the last few years. Since 2017, the country has registered trade surpluses that reached around 2.2 billion U.S. dollars as of 2023.
The West African country also depends on agricultural imports, subsequently satisfying the nation's needs in this field. The annual proportion of food in merchandise imports cannot be overlooked. Food imports mainly consist of cereals and cereal preparations, meat and meat preparations, fats, and oils. For instance, palm oil imports amounted to just over 200 million U.S. dollars in 2022, while the value of sugars and confectionery imports have exceeded 120 million U.S. dollars since 2010.
Vehicles and transportation services at the core of the imports
Ghana's total goods imports was estimated at around 13.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Compared to other goods, mineral fuels, oils, and distillation products represented the main imports category. That year, this category of goods registered an import value of over 5.2 billion U.S. dollars. The nation does not only trade in goods but also commercial services. Services imports were close to 12 billion U.S. dollars as of 2023, having registered a generally increasing trend since 2013. Government services occupy a major portion of the nation's services imports. Overall, the import of goods and services contributes notably to Ghana's GDP. As of 2021, this contribution stood at over 40 percent. In fact, goods and services imports as a share of the country's GDP have remained between 35 and 45 percent since 2010.Import contribution from minerals and agricultural products
Other principal import trade commodities in Ghana are mineral fuels and non-fuel minerals. Fuels imported into the country amounted to 82 million U.S. dollars as of 2020, which signified a significant drop compared to values from 2011 onwards. Crude oil and natural gas are some of the mineral fuels internationally traded. In 2023, Ghana imported close to 3.1 million barrels of crude oil, while natural gas imports reached nearly 20 trillion British thermal units in 2022.The West African country also depends on agricultural imports, subsequently satisfying the nation's needs in this field. The annual proportion of food in merchandise imports cannot be overlooked. Food imports mainly consist of cereals and cereal preparations, meat and meat preparations, fats, and oils. For instance, palm oil imports amounted to just over 200 million U.S. dollars in 2022, while the value of sugars and confectionery imports have exceeded 120 million U.S. dollars since 2010.
