Ghana and Burkina Faso's annual trade volume exceeds US$1 billion, Trade Minister announces at Ouagadougou crafts fair, calls for deeper industrial cooperation

Ghana's Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, announced on Friday that formal trade between Ghana and Burkina Faso has exceeded US$1 billion annually, and stated that the two countries are advancing a bilateral trade agreement aimed at deepening industrial cooperation and cross-border trade.

Speaking as Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of the 18th Ouagadougou International Arts and Crafts Fair (SIAO 2026), Ofosu-Adjare stated that this trade scale provides a solid foundation for the two countries to further expand economic ties. She emphasized that simply increasing the volume of goods traded is insufficient—both sides need to strengthen border management, harmonize product standards, and facilitate the movement of goods.

According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), bilateral trade flows in 2024 show clear asymmetry: Ghana's exports to Burkina Faso amounted to approximately US211 million), electricity (US50.5 million); Burkina Faso's exports to Ghana during the same period were only approximately US22.2 million), oilseeds, and livestock. This means Ghana maintains a trade surplus of approximately US637 million in 2025.

The proposed bilateral trade agreement covers multiple priority areas, including handicrafts, agro-processing, shea butter, cotton, leather, and agricultural value chains. Ofosu-Adjare stated at the crafts fair that Africa needs to build a bridge "from workshops to factory floors, and then to shelves worldwide," urging artisans to move beyond small-scale workshop production models and establish processing, manufacturing, and distribution systems.

Trade relations between the two countries have recently experienced fluctuations. Earlier in 2026, Burkina Faso imposed restrictions on tomato exports to protect its domestic processing industry, and also imposed restrictions on egg exports from Ghana. Following high-level consultations in July, both sides agreed to lift relevant restrictions and established a joint technical committee to coordinate future trade disputes. Ofosu-Adjare stated during the consultations that Ghana relies on Burkina Faso for approximately 70% to 80% of its tomato supply.

In the security domain, the two countries signed a defense cooperation agreement in August 2026, involving intelligence sharing and military escorts to protect traders along critical cross-border trade routes. However, Ghanaian tomato traders' associations have questioned the practical implementation capability of this arrangement, noting that jihadist militant activity in the border areas poses a direct threat to trade safety.

Ghana is participating as Guest of Honour at this year's SIAO crafts fair, alongside Mali and Niger, showcasing products including Kente cloth, Adinkra symbols, Bolgatanga baskets, and leather goods. SIAO has been held since 1988 and is one of Africa's largest arts and crafts exhibitions.