Togo ranked as Ghana’s largest informal trading partner, accounting for almost GH¢1.8 billion of informal cross-border trade in the fourth quarter of 2024.

This is according to new data from the Ghana Statistical Service.

The data comes from Ghana’s first national Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) Survey, which tracked unrecorded trade between Ghana and its three land neighbours – Togo, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.

The report shows that Togo recorded the highest volume of informal trade with Ghana, representing 61.2% of all informal trade activity between the two countries.

However, Ghana recorded a trade deficit with Togo, meaning it imported more than it exported.

Cooking oil was identified as the main imported product from both Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, while soft drinks were the top informal export from Ghana to Togo.

Other popular imports from Togo included rice, mattresses, and livestock, showing the country’s strong role in supplying consumer and food products to Ghana’s markets.

Burkina Faso: Ghana’s top export destination

Burkina Faso ranked second in informal trade, but Ghana recorded a trade surplus of GH¢576 million with its northern neighbour — indicating that Ghana exports far more goods to Burkina Faso than it imports.

Alcoholic drinks made up the largest share of informal exports to Burkina Faso, while cows were the main imported item from that country.

The report also highlighted that informal trade accounted for 37.1% of all trade between Ghana and Burkina Faso.

Côte d’Ivoire: Growing informal trade partner

Côte d’Ivoire followed closely, with Ghana posting a trade surplus of GH¢378 million.
Informal trade accounted for 55.7% of total trade between the two countries.

The GSS found that sugar was Ghana’s principal informal export to Côte d’Ivoire, while cooking oil again topped the list of informal imports.

Food and beverages drive informal trade

The report revealed that alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, and energy drinks together made up 55.8% of Ghana’s total beverage exports to neighbouring countries.

On the import side, rice (9.4%), sugar (6.1%), maize (6.0%), and beans (3.5%) accounted for about one-quarter of all food items imported informally.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu said the findings provide a clearer picture of Ghana’s regional trade dynamics and highlight the importance of including informal trade data in national economic planning.

“Informal trade is part of everyday life for many Ghanaians. Recognising its value allows us to better understand its contribution to livelihoods and food security,” he said.

The GSS recommended greater support for small traders through simplified registration, microcredit access, and better border infrastructure to boost Ghana’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).