Ghana's informal trade with neighbors hits GH¢31 billion, surpasses formal trade – GSS Report

Informal cross-border trade between Ghana and its neighboring countries, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Côte d'Ivoire, significantly surpassed formal trade in the first three quarters of 2025, reaching GH¢31 billion. This figure is approximately 1.5 times the value of formal trade recorded during the same period, which stood at GH¢20.1 billion, according to a new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The "Informal Cross-Border Trade" report, which provides the first continuous measurement of these flows, tracked trade across 206 active border points. Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu emphasized the importance of this measurement, stating, "You cannot plan for what you cannot measure, and you cannot protect what you cannot see." He added that understanding informal trade's contribution is the first step toward informing policy.

The findings reveal that informal trade constitutes the primary channel for trade with Ghana's neighbors, accounting for over two-thirds of trade with Togo, about two-thirds with Côte d'Ivoire, and roughly half with Burkina Faso. While Ghana maintained trade surpluses with Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire, its overall surplus narrowed due to a widening deficit with Togo. Food products, particularly cooking oil, dominated informal imports, largely sourced from Burkina Faso and Togo.

The report also shed light on the demographics and logistics of informal trade. Men transported about 70% of exported goods, while women handled over 60% of imported goods. Tricycles and motorbikes were the predominant modes of transport, reflecting the nature of informal trade along Ghana's land borders. The GSS recommends simplifying registration for small traders, improving access to finance and training, investing in border infrastructure, and enhancing cooperation with neighboring countries.

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You cannot plan for what you cannot measure, and you cannot protect what you cannot see. Measuring informal cross border trade is the first step towards understanding its contribution to Ghana's economy and ensuring that the evidence informs policy. Every trader counts, and every trade should be counted.