By Juliet ETEFE ([email protected])
Trade relations between Ghana and Germany has witnessed a significant rebound in the first quarter of 2025, with total trade (imports and exports) reaching €180.92 million.
According to figures shared, Ghana exported goods worth €85.66 million to Germany in Q1 2025, up from €63.68 million in Q1 2024.
Imports from Germany rose from €63.99 million to €95.26 million over the same period. The encouraging growth is attributed to improved commodity prices — especially cocoa and gold — as well as increasing demand in Ghana for German machinery and automobiles.
The renewed trade momentum marks a strong recovery from the slump experienced in 2023, when total bilateral trade dropped to US$497 million — the lowest level in over five years.
“That is very, very encouraging. It reflects stronger economic activity and a renewed appetite for trade in both directions,” German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, noted during a press briefing at his residence in Accra on a project titled “New Northern Dimensions – Delights from Northern Ghana and Northern Germany.”
He explained that trade between the two nations has traditionally ranged between US$500 million and US$700 million annually. However, 2023 witnessed a sharp drop to US$497 million. The strong performance in the first quarter of 2025 suggests a rebound to pre-pandemic levels may be within reach if the current trend continues.
The ambassador emphasised that beyond price effects, there is also growing interest in German products within Ghana — notably vehicles such as Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes-Benz — while Ghanaian agricultural and raw material exports continue to find favour in European markets.
Ghana’s key exports to Germany include cocoa, tropical fruits, and raw materials such as gold. Germany, in return, supplies Ghana with high-quality machinery, vehicles, trucks, and spare parts.
Ambassador Krull noted that while high cocoa prices boosted Ghanaian export values, trade also benefited from broader economic recovery and private sector activity.
Private sector as engine of growth
Ambassador Krull stressed commitment to creating platforms that connect Ghanaian and German businesses, allowing entrepreneurs to collaborate and innovate.
“We strongly believe that business takes place in the business world. The more liberal and enabling the framework, the more effective trade will be,” he said.
Culture and commerce
In line with this, the German Embassy hosted a business networking event in Accra on May 30, 2025, to mark the 836th anniversary of the Port of Hamburg — the ambassador’s hometown. The celebration brought together key figures from the Ghanaian business community, trade officials, and cultural icons.
The anniversary event featured music performances, food tastings, and the reliving of Ghana-Hamburg ties through “Burger Highlife” — a musical genre created by Ghanaians in Germany.
Northern Ghana, Northern Germany
To further highlight cultural ties, the German Embassy also introduced a unique culinary diplomacy initiative titled “New Northern Dimensions – Delights from Northern Ghana and Northern Germany.”
The project brought together German chef Otto Pfeiffer and Ghanaian-German chef Esther Mumuni to explore fusion cuisine, blending traditional Northern Ghanaian ingredients with Northern German techniques.
The chefs toured Tamale and Bolgatanga, sourcing local ingredients such as shea butter, baobab powder, pampara beans, and Alefu leaves.
They created innovative dishes, including cookies made with shea butter, Ghanaian-style hummus, and Yoru Yoru (beans and maize) topped with German fish and cream. Their creations were unveiled at a private dinner hosted by the ambassador.
