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Ghana Trade Agreements

Ghana has a bilateral Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union and an Interim Trade Partnership Agreement with the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. 

Scope of Coverage Ghana-EU EPA: Under the Ghana – EU EPA, Ghana will eliminate tariffs for EU products covered by 78% of Ghana’s tariff lines. Products that are excluded from tariff elimination include cotton, pearls, precious stones, textiles, olive oil and table olives, meat, crustaceans, milk and milk products, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, fruits, cement, beauty and make-up products, rubber and its articles, and automobiles. 

Tariff Staging: Ghanaian tariff reductions on imports from the EU Member States began in July 2021. For 22% of the 78% of covered tariff lines for EU-origin goods, tariff elimination was immediate in 2021. Another 50% of lines will receive duty-free treatment by the end of 2024, with the remaining 6% of tariff lines reaching tariff elimination by 2029. 

Ghana’s Interim EPA with the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland: This agreement was signed in 2021.  It replicates the tariff treatment under the European Union-Ghana EPA, giving the UK and Northern Ireland exports to Ghana the same reduced tariff treatment or tariff elimination as products from the European Union. 

Impact for U.S. Exporters: As a result of these two agreements, covered EU and UK/Northern Ireland exports to Ghana benefit from lower or no tariffs as compared to U.S. exports to Ghana. U.S. exports remain subject to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) common external tariff, which Ghana applies. This includes:

  1. a 5% tariff on imports of essential commodities, raw materials, and capital goods;
  2. a 10% tariff on imports of intermediate goods;
  3. a 20% tariff on imports of consumer goods; and
  4. a 35% tariff on imports on certain other finished goods. 

Companies can also use the Customs Info Database tariff lookup tool, available on trade.gov (free registration required), to estimate duties and taxes.

For more information about Ghana’s tariff policies and trade agreements, see Commercial Service Ghana’s Country Commercial Guide to Ghana contact: Commercial Service Ghana at office.accra@trade.gov or Tel: +233-30-274-1870.