Ghana Rallies African Nations to Fast-Track Industrialisation, Empower Youth and Women

Ghana has called on African countries to accelerate industrialisation and reduce reliance on raw material exports.

Delivering the keynote address at the Accelerate Africa’s Growth Connect 2026 conference on 25 May 2026, Deputy Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Sampson Ahi warned that Africa could no longer afford to remain a supplier of raw materials while importing finished goods at higher costs.

“We are not content to export raw materials while others manufacture finished goods and sell them back to us at a premium,” he said.

According to Ahi, that model has failed to serve and sustain the continent’s development. He urged African nations to place women and young people at the center of the continent’s economic transformation.

The conference, held at the University of Ghana’s Cedi Conference Centre, brought together delegates from more than 30 African countries under the theme of industrial transformation and continental cooperation.

Discussions focused on four pillars: policy and leadership, skills development, job and wealth creation, and knowledge and trade exchange. Organizers framed these as concrete steps toward inclusive industrialisation across Africa.

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