Prioritise value addition, export competitiveness – Vice president to Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM)

Ghana’s Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has urged the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) to deepen support for value addition, industrial production, and MSMEs to drive Ghana’s export competitiveness.

She stated this at the GEXIM@10 International Conference in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, marking a decade of the Bank’s operations under the theme “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”

The Vice President noted that while GEXIM has made significant strides in supporting agriculture, manufacturing, and non-traditional exports, evolving global trade dynamics require stronger institutions, expanded export finance, and deliberate efforts to move Ghana up the value chain.

Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, described the conference as a “working session,” stressing the need for practical, time-bound solutions to challenges such as access to finance, compliance costs, and export readiness.

Chief Executive of GEXIM, Sylvester Adinam Mensah, outlined the Bank’s progress over the past decade but emphasised a shift towards a more focused, results-driven strategy, anchored on sector prioritisation, MSME development, and expanded trade finance instruments.

Day One of the conference featured high-level engagements, including a panel on how EXIM banks can drive national trade competitiveness, and discussions on the evolving role of development finance institutions in Africa. A fireside chat with Mr. Johnson Asiamah, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, explored exchange rate stability and its implications for export competitiveness, highlighting the role of policy trade-offs, market confidence, and trade finance.

Further discussions examined ways to unlock MSME export potential through innovative collateral systems, guarantees, and risk mitigation tools, while a keynote session highlighted the growing importance of digital technology and artificial intelligence in strengthening export finance.

The conference is expected to produce actionable recommendations to guide GEXIM’s next phase and strengthen Ghana’s transition to a more resilient, export-led economy.