A strategic Ghana Made Expo, designed as a one-stop market to make buying Ghanaian products simpler, more reliable and better value for money, is set to open in Accra.

Developed as a weekly Saturday market rather than a one-off trade fair, the Expo is structured to bring producers and consumers together in a consistent and trusted setting where authenticity, fair pricing and quality are central to the shopping experience.

The Expo will officially open on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the CSIR–Food Research Compound in Shiashie, Accra, marking the launch of a new, structured marketplace created as a private sector-led platform under the Agrifood Value Innovation and Marketing Society (AGRIVIMS) Ghana.

According to AGRIVIMS, the Expo responds to the growing desire among Ghanaians and visitors for a reliable, single marketplace where locally made goods can be purchased with confidence.

The organisation noted that the Ghana Made Expo is positioned to change this narrative by offering a fixed venue for a wide variety of verified local products.

“Each market day provides a curated selection of verified Ghanaian products, while the first Saturday of every month will be staged as a Feature Edition with enhanced media visibility, themed experiences and premium curation,” Dr Courage Komla Besah-Adanu, Lead Consultant for AGRIVIMS, said in a statement issued in Accra yesterday.

According to him, the Expo is built on the simple economic principle that consistent interaction between producers and buyers builds trust, and when trust grows, value multiplies.

“For small and medium enterprises, the platform offers predictable access to paying customers and an opportunity to build reputation through repeat interactions. For consumers, it provides a practical answer to the common question of where to buy Ghanaian products confidently, at fair prices and without wasting time,” he explained.

Explaining the features of the Expo, Dr Besah-Adanu said shoppers would have the opportunity to meet producers behind the brands, compare products within clearly defined categories, view transparent pricing and authenticity cues, and reduce purchase risk through live demonstrations and sampling.

Additionally, an on-site AGRIVIMS advisory desk will support participating SMEs to improve packaging, labelling, customer service and regulatory compliance, helping them become more competitive and export-ready.

He said the timing of the Expo reflects current realities in Ghana’s economy, noting that while local SMEs are producing increasingly sophisticated goods across sectors such as agro-processing, textiles, cosmetics, crafts, home products and digital solutions, many still face persistent challenges in accessing stable markets.

“At the same time, consumers, including members of the diaspora, want to ‘buy Ghana’ but often lack reliable points of reference to assess quality or avoid counterfeits. By institutionalising market access in a predictable weekly format, the Ghana Made Expo aims to close that gap and create a visible pipeline for investment, procurement and export opportunities,” he stated.

Dr Besah-Adanu added that international experience shows that well-run weekly markets are not informal sidelines but strategic retail and tourism assets.

“From London’s Borough Market to New York’s Union Square Greenmarket and Barcelona’s La Boqueria, consistent curation and reliability have turned local markets into trusted destinations,” he said.

He noted that the Ghana Made Expo draws on these lessons and adapts them to Ghana’s context by centring local raw materials, Ghanaian entrepreneurship and everyday consumer needs.

He assured that products commonly sought by returning Ghanaians — including packaged staples such as shito, gari and spices; cocoa and beverage products; natural beauty and wellness items; textiles, fashion and beads; as well as crafts, home accessories and corporate gift hampers — would be carefully curated to meet both local and international expectations, ultimately positioning Ghanaian products to compete on quality.