The Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) has engaged the AfCFTA National Coordinating Office (NCO) to address challenges hindering Free Zones Enterprises from fully accessing and benefiting from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market.
The engagement, held on Thursday, September 4, 2026, at the GFZA Head Office in Accra, focused on strengthening collaboration between the two institutions to increase the participation of Ghanaian Free Zones Enterprises in intra-African trade.
The meeting also provided a platform for the institutions to examine challenges confronting enterprises in registering and operating under the AfCFTA framework and explore practical measures to address the difficulties.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GFZA, Dr Mary Awusi, welcomed the AfCFTA NCO delegation and outlined the Authority’s mandate to promote and facilitate export-oriented investments in Ghana.
She said the GFZA currently had more than 300 licensed Free Zones Enterprises operating in various sectors of the economy.
However, Dr Awusi expressed concern that only 32 of the licensed enterprises were currently registered under the AfCFTA, a situation she said highlighted the need for urgent measures to remove barriers limiting the participation of more businesses in the continental market.
According to her, addressing the challenges would enable more Free Zones Enterprises to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA and expand their markets across Africa.
She stressed the importance of closer cooperation between the GFZA and the AfCFTA NCO to ensure that businesses operating under the Free Zones regime were adequately supported to meet the requirements for accessing the continental market.
COLLABORATION
The leader of the AfCFTA NCO delegation and newly appointed National Coordinator, Mr Dodi Seidu, expressed appreciation to the GFZA for the engagement and its efforts to promote exports and investment.
He acknowledged the concerns raised by the Authority and called for stronger institutional collaboration to address the challenges confronting Free Zones Enterprises.
Mr Seidu said closer cooperation between the two institutions would help identify practical solutions to the difficulties businesses faced in registering and operating under the AfCFTA framework.
He further emphasised the need to enhance the participation of Ghanaian enterprises in intra-African trade so they could take advantage of the opportunities offered by the continental market.
MORE ENTERPRISES
The meeting underscored the importance of increasing the number of Free Zones Enterprises participating in the AfCFTA, particularly given the GFZA’s significant number of licensed companies.
The two institutions agreed to work together to identify and address the practical challenges limiting registration and participation.
The collaboration is expected to facilitate greater awareness and understanding of AfCFTA requirements among Free Zones Enterprises while supporting businesses to position themselves to access markets across Africa.
The AfCFTA is intended to create a single continental market for goods and services and deepen economic integration among African countries.
For Ghanaian businesses, increased participation in the agreement could provide opportunities to expand exports, develop new markets, strengthen value chains and increase the country’s share of intra-African trade.
The GFZA-AfCFTA engagement therefore forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s export-oriented investment ecosystem and ensure that businesses operating under the Free Zones regime derive greater benefits from continental trade opportunities.
OFFICIALS
Also present at the meeting were the Deputy CEO for Finance and Administration, Mr Hamidu Sibiri Musah; Deputy CEO for Operations, Mr Lateef Apau Wiredu; Director of Business Development and Research, Mr Lawrence Osei-Boateng; Director of Agribusiness, Dr Abdul-Wahab Alhassan; Director of Administration, Hajia Hanatu Abubakar; Head of AfCFTA and Strategic Partnerships, Mr Kingsford Jagre; Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr Bilal Muazu; and other officers of the GFZA.
The meeting ended with a commitment from both institutions to deepen their collaboration and work towards creating an enabling environment for more Free Zones Enterprises to participate effectively in the AfCFTA market.
The initiative is expected to contribute to Ghana’s efforts to increase exports, attract investment and position local enterprises to take greater advantage of the expanding African market.
