Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{203282,
        author = {Samuel  Somua and Malual Madit Pach},
        title = {Ghana International Trade Dynamics: Shifting Composition, Direction And Volume (2015-20250)},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {12},
        pages = {10261-10271},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=203282},
        abstract = {This paper examines Ghana's international trade dynamics over the decade spanning 2015 to 2025, with particular focus on the shifting composition, geographic direction, and aggregate volume of both exports and imports. Ghana's external trade has undergone considerable transformation during this period, driven by commodity price cycles, oil production ramp-ups and contractions, the COVID-19 pandemic shock, a severe domestic macroeconomic crisis in 2022, IMF-supported fiscal adjustment, and the emergence of new trade frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Export earnings have remained heavily concentrated in gold, crude petroleum, and cocoa, with these three commodities collectively accounting for approximately 83 percent of total export revenue by 2024. The direction of trade has evolved significantly, with Asia particularly China consolidating its dominance on the import side, while Switzerland, the UAE, and South Africa have grown as key export destinations. The paper also charts Ghana's trajectory from chronic trade deficits to a dramatic trade surplus in 2025, largely attributable to a gold export surge driven by institutional reforms through the Ghana Gold Board. The analysis concludes with a discussion of policy implications for export diversification, value-chain upgrading, and the strategic use of AfCFTA.},
        keywords = {Ghana, international trade, export composition, trade direction, gold exports, AfCFTA, trade balance, commodity dependence},
        month = {May},
        }