Ghana's search for new economic partnerships comes at a critical point in its development journey. Despite its considerable natural resources, strategic geographical position and relatively diversified economic base, the country continues to grapple with a fundamental development challenge: the inability to convert a substantial proportion of its natural and agricultural resources into competitive manufactured products, industrial capacity and sustainable employment.
The country exports gold, cocoa, crude oil, manganese, bauxite and other primary commodities, yet remains dependent on imported manufactured goods, machinery, pharmaceutical products, industrial inputs and technology. This structural imbalance has implications for foreign exchange earnings, employment, productivity, enterprise development and long-term economic resilience (IMF, 2024; UNIDO, 2024).
It is against this background that Ghana's proposed engagement with BRICS deserves serious consideration. The initiative presents an opportunity to diversify international economic partnerships and explore new avenues for investment, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, and access to international markets. However, the real question is not whether Ghana should engage with BRICS. It is whether the country can translate that engagement into productive economic relationships capable of changing the structure of its economy.
Diplomatic recognition, political visibility and participation in international meetings are not measures of industrial progress. The more important considerations are whether new partnerships can help establish factories, process agricultural commodities, manufacture essential medicines, develop mineral-processing industries, improve energy security, strengthen technological capabilities and create decent employment. For Ghana, the BRICS opportunity must ultimately be judged by its contribution to domestic production and economic transformation.
Understanding the BRICS Opportunity
BRICS began as an association of Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. Its subsequent expansion brought Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia into the grouping, bringing the number of full members to eleven (BRICS Brasil, 2025). BRICS has evolved into a platform for cooperation among emerging economies on international economic governance, trade, investment, finance, technology, energy, agriculture and development.
It is important to recognise that BRICS is neither a conventional free-trade area nor a single economic market. It does not operate as a unified investment authority or guarantee that member countries will automatically provide financial assistance to other participating countries. Its members have different economic structures, development priorities and geopolitical interests. For Ghana, this means that the opportunities must be pursued through carefully negotiated multilateral and bilateral arrangements.
In October 2026, Ghana's government announced its intention to seek engagement with BRICS. The Minister for Foreign Affairs subsequently clarified that Ghana intended to apply for Partner Country status rather than full membership. As of November 2026, this should be understood as an intention to pursue that status, not confirmation that Ghana has been admitted (Information Services Department [ISD], 2026).
Although Partner Country status is different from full membership, it could provide additional opportunities for consultation, cooperation and engagement with participating countries. Ghana should approach this opportunity with economic pragmatism. The objective should be to secure partnerships that complement existing relationships with traditional development and trading partners while advancing clearly defined national development priorities.
1. Manufacturing: Building a Productive Industrial Base
Manufacturing must be at the centre of Ghana's engagement with BRICS. A country's industrial strength cannot be measured solely by the volume of commodities it extracts or the value of goods it imports. It must also be assessed by its ability to transform raw materials, manufacture products, develop industrial technologies and compete in regional and international markets.
Ghana requires a stronger manufacturing base capable of producing machinery, industrial equipment, construction materials, textiles, garments, packaging materials, electrical components, consumer goods and agricultural processing equipment. Countries such as China and India have developed substantial manufacturing capabilities that could offer opportunities for investment, technical cooperation, and industrial partnerships. Brazil also has relevant experience in agro-industrial manufacturing and industrial applications of agricultural resources.
Ghana should explore joint ventures that establish production facilities within its industrial parks and special economic zones. Such arrangements should be designed to develop domestic productive capacity rather than create isolated assembly operations dependent almost entirely on imported components. The terms of investment agreements matter. Ghana should negotiate for local supplier participation, technical training, skills development, technology transfer, research collaboration and opportunities for indigenous businesses to enter manufacturing value chains.
There is also a need to strengthen the relationship between large industrial enterprises and small and medium-sized businesses. Local enterprises should be supported to manufacture packaging materials, spare parts, intermediate products, industrial components and other inputs required by larger companies. The objective is to build an interconnected industrial economy in which foreign investment strengthens, rather than displaces, domestic productive capacity (UNIDO, 2024).
2. Pharmaceuticals: Strengthening Health Security Through Local Production
The pharmaceutical industry presents an important opportunity to combine economic development with national health security. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the risks associated with excessive dependence on external suppliers for essential medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, and pharmaceutical inputs.
Ghana needs to strengthen its domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to improve the availability of essential medicines, reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities, and develop the technical expertise required for a competitive pharmaceutical industry. India offers considerable experience in generic medicines, pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccines, and medical technologies. It is among the world's largest pharmaceutical producers and accounts for approximately 20% of global generic medicine supply (Press Information Bureau, 2026).
Strategic cooperation with Indian pharmaceutical companies could help Ghanaian manufacturers improve production capabilities, adopt modern manufacturing technologies, and access research and development expertise. Potential areas of collaboration include the manufacture of essential medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients, vaccines, and medical equipment. However, establishing pharmaceutical factories alone will not guarantee success. The industry requires reliable energy, skilled scientists, pharmaceutical engineers, research infrastructure, access to finance, and strong regulatory oversight.
Ghana's National Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy, launched in October 2026, provides an important domestic policy foundation. The policy seeks to increase the share of locally manufactured medicines from approximately 30% to 60% within five years, while addressing constraints relating to imported active pharmaceutical ingredients, manufacturing capacity, technology transfer, and access to finance (Ghana News Agency, 2026).
Ghana must also strengthen the capacity of its pharmaceutical regulatory institutions to ensure that locally manufactured products meet internationally recognised standards. Joint ventures between Ghanaian manufacturers and established international pharmaceutical companies should therefore be encouraged, with clearly negotiated arrangements for technology transfer, local skills development and progressive expansion of domestic production. The ambition should be to position Ghana as a competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution centre serving the wider African market.
3. Agriculture: Connecting Farming to Agro-Industrial Development
Agriculture remains an important source of employment, livelihoods and raw materials for Ghana's economy. Yet the sector continues to lose considerable value through inadequate processing, storage, mechanisation, irrigation and market access. Ghana's agricultural challenge is not simply how to increase production. It is how to connect agricultural production to commercially viable processing industries and reliable markets. This is an area where cooperation with BRICS countries could be particularly beneficial.
Brazil has developed substantial expertise in commercial agriculture, agricultural research, mechanisation, tropical crop production and agro-processing. India offers experience in agricultural technologies, irrigation and food processing, while China has developed capabilities in agricultural machinery, infrastructure and production technologies. Ghana should pursue practical partnerships in the production and processing of cassava, rice, maize, tomatoes, palm oil, cocoa, shea, cashew, coconut, fruits and vegetables.
Consider the cashew industry. Rather than exporting a substantial proportion of production in its raw form, Ghana could expand commercially viable processing facilities that produce cashew kernels, oils, butter and other finished products. The cocoa industry presents a similar opportunity. Ghana should strengthen domestic capacity to produce cocoa beverages, confectionery, cosmetics and other cocoa-based products rather than relying predominantly on the export of raw beans and semi-processed products.
Palm oil, cassava and other agricultural commodities also offer opportunities for industrial processing. However, successful agro-industrial development requires more than investment in processing machinery. It depends on reliable supplies of quality raw materials, organised farmer groups, agricultural extension services, affordable financing, storage facilities, transportation and access to markets.
Ghana's AgriConnect Compact, launched in June 2026, recognises the importance of improving productivity, expanding value addition, strengthening agricultural value chains and improving access to markets and finance. Its priority commodities include cocoa, oil palm, rice, maize, poultry, cashew and coconut (World Bank, 2026).
Ghana should therefore encourage partnerships that connect foreign investors, local agribusinesses, farmer cooperatives, research institutions and financial institutions within integrated agricultural value chains. This approach would help reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmers' incomes, expand rural employment and strengthen the relationship between agriculture and manufacturing.
4. Mining: Transforming Mineral Wealth into Industrial Assets
Ghana's mineral resources provide another important basis for strategic economic cooperation. The country is a major gold producer and possesses significant deposits of bauxite, manganese, lithium, and other minerals with industrial applications. Yet the economic benefits of mineral extraction are not fully reflected in the development of domestic processing industries and manufacturing capabilities. The country must progressively move from an extractive mining model towards a more integrated mineral-based industrial economy.
This requires investment in mineral processing, refining, engineering, industrial research and the manufacture of products derived from locally available mineral resources. Cooperation with BRICS countries could provide opportunities for mining technology, geological research, mineral-processing equipment, engineering expertise and industrial investment.
Ghana's ambition to develop an integrated aluminium industry illustrates the scale of the opportunity. Extracting bauxite is only one part of the process. An integrated industry requires economically viable arrangements for refining, alumina production, smelting and downstream aluminium manufacturing.
Similarly, lithium development should not be reduced to the extraction and export of mineral concentrates. Ghana must carefully assess opportunities for processing, battery materials and related manufacturing activities, taking into account commercial viability, energy requirements, technology and access to markets.
The Government's October 2026 announcement of an ambition to end exports of unprocessed minerals by 2030 reinforces the importance of developing domestic mineral-processing and manufacturing capacity (Presidency of the Republic of Ghana, 2026). The country should also explore local manufacturing of mining equipment, spare parts, protective equipment and other industrial inputs.
Nevertheless, mineral industrialisation requires disciplined economic planning. Not every mineral can be processed competitively at every stage of its value chain, and downstream manufacturing should not be pursued without considering production costs, infrastructure, technology and market demand.
Investment agreements must also protect national interests through transparent licensing, responsible environmental management, local content requirements, community participation and appropriate fiscal arrangements. Ghana already has a regulatory framework for local content and participation in the mining sector. The Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2431), seek to promote local procurement, domestic business competitiveness, job creation, and the development of mining-related support industries (Minerals Commission, n.d.). The ultimate objective should be to retain a greater proportion of the economic value generated from Ghana's mineral resources.
5. Energy: Making Industrial Production Competitive
Energy is one of the most important determinants of industrial competitiveness. Manufacturing enterprises require reliable and affordable electricity to operate efficiently, maintain production schedules and compete with imported products. Unreliable electricity and high operating costs can undermine even well-financed industrial investments. Ghana's engagement with BRICS should therefore include cooperation in energy generation, transmission, distribution, storage and industrial energy efficiency.
China has developed substantial capabilities in solar technology, battery manufacturing and renewable energy infrastructure. India has also expanded its renewable energy industry and developed experience in decentralised energy solutions. The International Energy Agency (IEA, 2026) identifies China as the dominant producer across several clean-energy technology supply chains, including solar photovoltaic and lithium-ion battery production. These capabilities could provide opportunities for Ghana to negotiate technology partnerships, local assembly and manufacturing arrangements.
Ghana could explore partnerships in solar energy systems, battery storage, industrial power solutions and the local assembly or manufacture of renewable energy components. However, renewable energy should form part of a broader national energy strategy rather than be treated as a complete substitute for the country's other energy sources. The immediate industrial priority must be to ensure that manufacturing enterprises have access to dependable and competitively priced electricity.
The IMF (2026) identifies electricity reliability, affordability and financial sustainability as critical requirements for Ghana's industrialisation and economic growth. Its assessment also highlights the financial and operational challenges affecting the energy sector. This requires investment in generation capacity, transmission infrastructure, distribution networks, maintenance systems and the financial sustainability of the energy sector. Ghana should also explore energy partnerships that support industrial parks, mining operations and agro-processing facilities through dedicated and efficient energy systems. Without reliable energy, the country's industrialisation ambitions will remain difficult to achieve.
6. Technology and Innovation: Developing Domestic Capabilities
Industrial transformation increasingly depends on technology, research, innovation and the ability to adapt new production methods. Artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, biotechnology, digital manufacturing and advanced materials are changing how economies produce goods and deliver services. Ghana must ensure that its BRICS engagement includes meaningful cooperation in science, technology and innovation.
India's information technology industry, China's manufacturing technologies and digital infrastructure, and the industrial research capabilities of other BRICS members provide opportunities for knowledge exchange and technological cooperation. Potential areas include industrial automation, agricultural technology, software development, fintech, artificial intelligence, robotics, digital manufacturing and biotechnology.
However, Ghana should not measure technological cooperation by the number of imported machines or digital platforms acquired. The more important consideration is whether local institutions, businesses and workers develop the ability to operate, maintain, adapt and eventually produce relevant technologies. UNIDO (2024) emphasises the importance of technological capabilities, innovation, research and industrial policy in building competitive and sustainable manufacturing systems. Universities, technical universities, research institutions, technology hubs and private enterprises should therefore be involved in the design and implementation of these partnerships.
Ghana should negotiate scholarship programmes, industrial apprenticeships, research collaboration, technology licensing and structured technical training. The country must also strengthen its intellectual property framework and ensure that local innovators and technology enterprises have opportunities to participate in commercial applications of research. Technology transfer should be a measurable component of industrial investment agreements, not merely an expression of goodwill.
7. Infrastructure: Building the Connections that Industry Needs
Industrialisation requires more than factories. It requires an interconnected infrastructure system that links production centres to suppliers, markets, ports and consumers. Ghana's roads, railways, ports, warehouses, industrial parks, logistics facilities and digital infrastructure must be developed in a coordinated manner. BRICS countries could provide opportunities for infrastructure financing, engineering expertise, construction technology and technical cooperation.
China and India, in particular, have considerable experience in large-scale infrastructure development and engineering. Ghana should prioritise projects that directly reduce the cost of production and improve the movement of goods and services. For example, improved railway connections between mining areas, agricultural production centres, industrial parks and seaports could reduce transportation costs and improve export competitiveness.
Investment in warehouses, cold-chain facilities, irrigation systems and agro-processing zones could strengthen agricultural value chains and reduce post-harvest losses. Similarly, modern port infrastructure and efficient customs systems would improve Ghana's capacity to participate in regional and international trade. Industrial parks and special economic zones should be supported by reliable electricity, water, transportation, digital connectivity and essential services.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides an important market framework for these investments. Its objectives include promoting intra-African trade, industrial development, investment and regional value chains (Ghana Free Zones Authority, n.d.). Infrastructure investment must be guided by credible feasibility studies, transparent procurement, realistic debt arrangements and clear economic returns. Ghana must avoid accumulating financial obligations for infrastructure projects that do not generate sufficient productive or social value.
8. Value Addition: The Foundation of Economic Transformation
Value addition is the common thread connecting all these sectors. It is also the most important economic principle that should guide Ghana's engagement with BRICS. For decades, the country has relied heavily on exporting primary commodities while importing a substantial share of the manufactured products it consumes and uses in production.
This pattern limits domestic industrial development and leaves the economy exposed to fluctuations in international commodity prices, external supply disruptions, and foreign exchange pressures. Ghana must deliberately transition to an economy that processes its resources, manufactures competitive products, develops technologies, and participates in higher-value segments of international supply chains.
Value addition should not be understood simply as establishing factories to process raw materials. It should encompass the entire production ecosystem, including research, design, technology, packaging, logistics, branding, distribution, and market development. For instance, cocoa value addition should extend beyond processing beans into intermediate products to include the development of competitive Ghanaian brands and finished consumer products.
The same principle applies to minerals, agricultural commodities, pharmaceuticals and manufactured goods. Ghanaian small and medium-sized enterprises must be positioned within these value chains as manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, service providers and innovators. Foreign investment should therefore be assessed by its contribution to domestic enterprise development, employment, technology transfer, export earnings and the retention of economic value within the country. The objective is not to discourage foreign participation but to ensure that foreign investment strengthens Ghana's productive capacity (UNIDO, 2024; World Bank, 2026).
The Risks Ghana Must Not Ignore
The opportunities presented by BRICS should not obscure the risks associated with international economic partnerships.
The first is the possibility of replacing one form of external dependence with another. Diversifying economic relationships is important, but diversification does not automatically produce economic independence. Ghana must retain the capacity to negotiate favourable agreements, regulate investment and protect its national interests.
The second risk is an expansion of imports without a corresponding improvement in domestic production. If Ghana becomes a larger market for manufactured products from BRICS countries while continuing to export mainly raw materials, the relationship could reinforce existing trade imbalances.
Third, foreign investment does not automatically produce technology transfer, employment or industrial development. These benefits depend on the structure of investment agreements, the capabilities of domestic institutions and the enforcement of agreed obligations.
Fourth, Ghana must exercise caution in its approach to development financing. The attraction of alternative sources of finance should not lead to excessive borrowing, poorly evaluated projects or unsustainable contractual obligations.
In particular, access to the New Development Bank should not be assumed to follow automatically from BRICS Partner Country status. The bank operates under its own membership arrangements, which are distinct from BRICS participation categories (New Development Bank, n.d.).
There is also the geopolitical dimension. BRICS members do not necessarily share identical political or economic interests. Ghana must maintain a balanced foreign policy that advances its national development objectives without unnecessarily compromising its relationships with traditional development and trading partners. Finally, the domestic business environment must be addressed. Investors require predictable policies, efficient public institutions, reliable infrastructure, access to finance, enforceable contracts, and regulatory certainty. International partnerships cannot compensate for weaknesses in domestic economic governance (IMF, 2024).
What Ghana Must Do to Convert Opportunity into Results
The success of Ghana's proposed BRICS engagement will depend less on the diplomatic process itself than on the country's ability to prepare, negotiate, and implement economically beneficial partnerships. Ghana needs a clearly defined National BRICS Economic Engagement and Industrialisation Strategy, aligned with its broader national development and industrialisation objectives. The strategy should be developed through consultation involving government, the private sector, industry associations, universities, research institutions, organised labour and civil society.
Seven priorities deserve particular attention.
1. Establish a National BRICS Economic Engagement Framework. Government should create an effective inter-institutional coordination mechanism to identify opportunities, coordinate negotiations, monitor agreements and ensure that proposed partnerships align with national industrialisation priorities.
2. Prepare a portfolio of bankable industrial projects. Ghana should identify commercially viable projects in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, mineral processing, renewable energy, technology and infrastructure. Investors should be presented with credible proposals supported by feasibility studies, financing plans and market assessments.
3. Negotiate investment agreements that secure domestic benefits. Local content, employment, technical training, technology transfer, research collaboration, environmental protection and indigenous enterprise participation should be incorporated into appropriate investment agreements.
4. Strengthen Ghanaian enterprises. Local businesses require access to affordable financing, technology, managerial expertise, quality certification and export markets to participate effectively in international value chains.
5. Invest in human capital and industrial skills. Cooperation should include technical education, vocational training, industrial apprenticeships, scholarships, research partnerships and professional development programmes.
6. Connect BRICS partnerships to AfCFTA. Ghana should use its position within the African Continental Free Trade Area to attract investments in industries capable of serving regional markets. The objective should be to develop Ghana as a competitive production and distribution base within Africa.
7. Establish measurable performance indicators. The government should periodically report on investment realised, productive facilities established, jobs created, exports generated, local procurement, technology transferred, and the participation of Ghanaian enterprises. These measures would shift the conversation from diplomatic intentions to measurable economic performance.
Conclusion: From Diplomatic Engagement to Productive Transformation
Ghana's proposed engagement with BRICS offers an opportunity to rethink the relationship between international cooperation and national economic development. The country does not lack natural resources, entrepreneurial talent, or opportunities for industrial expansion. What it needs is a more deliberate approach to converting these advantages into productive capacity, technological competence, competitive enterprises, and sustainable employment.
BRICS could provide access to investment, industrial expertise, technology, research collaboration and new markets. But these opportunities will only become meaningful if Ghana approaches the relationship with clearly defined priorities, strong negotiating institutions and a consistent national industrialisation strategy. The country must resist the temptation to equate diplomatic visibility with economic progress. Participation in international forums is useful, but it cannot substitute for factories, productive enterprises, competitive exports and a skilled workforce.
Equally, Ghana must not approach the grouping as though all its economic challenges can be resolved through external partnerships. Industrialisation ultimately depends on domestic policy consistency, institutional accountability, private-sector capacity, infrastructure and the quality of economic management. The African Continental Free Trade Area also provides an important strategic context. Ghana should use its international partnerships to develop industries that can compete within the African market and beyond, rather than focus exclusively on expanding imports from partner countries.
Ultimately, the success of Ghana's engagement with BRICS should not be measured by the number of diplomatic meetings attended, agreements signed or investment intentions announced. It should be measured by the number of productive enterprises established, the medicines manufactured locally, the agricultural commodities processed domestically, the minerals transformed into industrial products, the technologies developed and adapted, the skills transferred and the sustainable jobs created.
BRICS may provide Ghana with new economic partners, but it is Ghana's national development strategy, negotiating capacity and commitment to productive transformation that will determine whether those partnerships deliver lasting benefits.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply to join a changing global economic order. It is to use that changing order to build an economy that produces more, processes more, innovates more and retains a greater share of the value generated from its resources and the efforts of its people.
REFERENCES
BRICS Brasil. (2025, January 20). About the BRICS. https://brics.br/en/about-the-brics
Ghana Free Zones Authority. (n.d.). AfCFTA Desk: About us. https://afcftadesk.gfza.gov.gh/about-us/
Ghana News Agency. (2026, October 29). Ghana launches pharmaceutical policy to boost local production. https://gna.org.gh/2026/10/ghana-launches-pharmaceutical-policy-to-boost-local-production-2/
Information Services Department. (2026, October 12). Foreign Affairs Minister clarifies Ghana’s intended BRICS Partner Country status. https://www.isd.gov.gh/foreign-affairs-minister-clarifies-ghanas-intended-brics-partner-country-status/
International Energy Agency. (2026). Energy technology perspectives 2026. https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-technology-perspectives-2026
International Monetary Fund. (2024). Ghana: Poverty reduction and growth strategy. https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2024/214/article-A001-en.xml
International Monetary Fund. (2026). Ghana's energy sector: From fiscal vulnerability to a platform for sustained growth. https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229057080.002.A003
Minerals Commission. (n.d.). Local content and local participation in the procurement of goods and services in the mining industry. https://www.mincom.gov.gh/procurement-list/
New Development Bank. (n.d.). Members. Retrieved November 9, 2026, from https://www.ndb.int/about-ndb/members/
Presidency of the Republic of Ghana. (2026, October 22). Ghana to end raw mineral exports by 2030 as President Mahama unveils comprehensive value-addition strategy. https://presidency.gov.gh/ghana-to-end-raw-mineral-exports-by-2030-as-president-mahama-unveils-comprehensive-value-addition-strategy/
Press Information Bureau, Government of India. (2026, March 21). India's pharmaceuticals in global healthcare: From domestic production to international markets. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243248
United Nations Industrial Development Organization. (2024). Industrial development report 2024: Turning challenges into sustainable solutions—The new era of industrial policy. https://unido.org/sites/default/files/unido-publications/2024-06/Industrial%20Development%20Report%202024.pdf
World Bank. (2026, June 3). Ghana launches AgriConnect Compact to strengthen food security, create jobs, and mobilize investment. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/06/03/ghana-launches-agriconnect-compact-to-strengthen-food-security-create-jobs-and-mobilize-investment
Mahama preparing to take serious action against appointees – Victor Smith
'That’s not how the Fiifi Kweteys, Sammy Gyamfis did it' — Gyampo mocks NPP over...
Gyampo accuses 'planted' public service officials of leaking information to NPP
Government considers 50% local rice purchase requirement for import permits
JUSAG, SSAJUG suspend strike as courts prepare to resume sittings on Tuesday
Government lifts curfew in Hamile following improved security conditions
Nvidia shares slide as board probes CEO over China spy reports
UK writer M. John Harrison wins Booker Prize for AI-tinged apocalyptic novel
What to expect as Russia, Ukraine and the US hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
Cameroon president calls elections for February 7: decree
