Ghana Steps Up Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Push to Drive Industrialisation
Ghana Advances EV Manufacturing Plans with Chinese Automakers to Boost Jobs and Clean Transport
Ghana is accelerating its industrialisation agenda with a renewed focus on electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, as the government seeks to create jobs, attract foreign investment, and enhance the country’s competitiveness in clean transport. The initiative builds on earlier engagements with Chinese automakers and has now entered a more advanced implementation phase.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on January 21, 2026, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said the government had signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s Shenzhen New Jekyll to establish an EV assembly plant in Ghana.
She confirmed that the company has already secured land in the country and that development work is well advanced, indicating that the project has moved beyond preliminary discussions toward operational readiness.
Ofosu-Adjare added that the ministry is also in discussions with Chery International, one of China’s leading automobile exporters, to set up an additional EV assembly plant following engagements at the China–Africa Summit. The talks reflect growing interest from global automakers in Ghana’s emerging EV market.
Ghana’s EV ambitions form part of a broader strategy to reposition the country as a manufacturing hub in West Africa while supporting national climate and energy transition objectives.
Transport remains a major source of emissions in Ghana’s urban centres, and policymakers view EV adoption as a means to reduce fuel imports, lower emissions, and build domestic industrial capacity.
Chinese manufacturers are expected to play a central role in this strategy. China dominates the global EV supply chain, spanning battery technology, component manufacturing, and cost-competitive vehicle production, and is increasingly targeting emerging markets as growth moderates in Europe and North America.
For Ghana, partnerships with Chinese firms offer access to technology, capital, and manufacturing expertise without the burden of heavy upfront research and development costs.
The government has also introduced incentives to encourage EV adoption, including reduced import duties, while working to establish regulatory frameworks to support charging infrastructure, standards, and after-sales services.
Industry analysts caution that the success of Ghana’s EV drive will depend on the expansion of power infrastructure, the rollout of charging networks, and the affordability of EVs for consumers.
If effectively implemented, the strategy could help anchor a domestic automotive ecosystem and position Ghana as a regional reference point for electric mobility in West Africa, as African economies compete for a foothold in the global EV value chain.
