Ghana: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 2 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Ghana.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Ghana in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Ghana may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Ghana →

On the sanctions lists

2 entries on the official lists name Ghana — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	2	2	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Ghana recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Ghana: logistics and trade

West African port and transit hub (Tema/Takoradi); seat of the AfCFTA Secretariat

Ghana (GH) is West Africa's port and transit hub for the landlocked countries Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra. As an ECOWAS member, Ghana applies the Common External Tariff (0/5/10/20/35 per cent); clearance has run electronically through the Ghana Revenue Authority's ICUMS since 2020, and since 1 January 2026 import VAT is 15 per cent plus NHIL and GETFund of 2.5 per cent each. The main gateways are the ports of Tema (MPS Terminal 3) and Takoradi, handling around 85 per cent of foreign trade, plus Kotoka International Airport in Accra (ACC). Key axes are the Tema–Paga–Ouagadougou corridor, the Tema–Takoradi coastal corridor and the Accra–Kumasi–Tamale route; the Western rail line is being rehabilitated. Exports centre on gold, crude oil and cocoa, imports on petroleum products, machinery and vehicles; main partners are China, Switzerland, the Netherlands, India and the United States.

Capital: Accra
Population: 30,832,019
Area: 238,533 km²
Currency: Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)
Continent: Africa
Region: West Africa / ECOWAS
Economic area: ECOWAS / AfCFTA
Religions: Christianity, Islam
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road · Rail

Current situation: Tema: congestion and container pick-up delays July 2026; GPHA is waiving storage fees on affected cargo, stakeholder forum on port costs ongoing. VAT reform (Act 1151) in force since 1.1.2026. (Status 2026-07-23)
Seasonal conditions: Tropical climate; rainy season in the south approximately April–July and September–October, in the north May–October; Harmattan dust (December–February) may affect visibility and air freight.

Main seaports

Tema
Tema (GH TEM) is Ghana's main container port on the Gulf of Guinea: MPS Terminal 3, up to 3.5M TEU, gateway to the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger).
Takoradi
Takoradi (GH TKD): Ghana's second port, about 9.4M tonnes in 2024. Exports manganese, bauxite and cocoa, plus an oil & gas base. Use Tema for containers.

Main cargo airports

Accra International AirportACC
Accra International Airport (ex-Kotoka, ACC): Ghana's cargo gateway with a Swissport cargo centre, Cargolux and DHL, plus sea-air links to Tema port.
Kumasi AirportKMS
Kumasi Airport (KMS), Ashanti: domestic airport with Accra links, under expansion; air cargo via Kotoka International (ACC). Home to Kejetia market.
Tamale AirportTML
Tamale Airport (TML), northern Ghana: domestic flights to Accra and Hajj charters; no freight, air cargo via Kotoka International (ACC).

Road corridors

Tema–Akosombo–Paga / Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso corridor)
Tema–Accra–Takoradi (coastal corridor)
Accra–Kumasi–Tamale (N6/N10)

Rail corridors

Western Line Takoradi–Kumasi (rehabilitation/new construction, standard gauge)
Eastern Line Accra–Kumasi (reconstruction)

Inland ports

Boankra Inland Port (under development, near Kumasi)

Main trade lanes

Ghana–China
Ghana–EU (Netherlands/Switzerland)
Ghana–India
Ghana–USA
West African transit (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger)

Customs and import

Customs authority Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs DivisionOfficial website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic customs clearance via ICUMS (Integrated Customs Management System, since 2020); declarations submitted by licensed customs agents. Tariff classification under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET).
Export customs system: Export declarations also submitted electronically via ICUMS at the GRA Customs Division; use of ECOWAS rules of origin (ETLS) and AfCFTA preferences.
Import VAT: Import VAT of 15 percent plus NHIL of 2,5 percent and GETFund of 2,5 percent on the same base (together around 20 percent); VAT Act 2025 (Act 1151) in force since 1.1.2026, COVID-Levy abolished.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: ECOWAS certificate of origin (ETLS) and AfCFTA certificate of origin; EU-Ghana Interim EPA (in force since 2016) and UK-Ghana Interim Agreement with proof of preference (e.g. EUR.1 / origin declaration).
Restricted and prohibited goods: Import bans and restrictions, including for certain used goods, weapons, drugs and hazardous waste; licensing requirements for medicines, food and chemicals (FDA Ghana).

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading / air waybill
Import licence (if required)
Certificate of origin
FDA / standards certificates (depending on goods)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration (ICUMS)
Certificate of origin (ETLS / AfCFTA)
Phytosanitary / quality certificates (cocoa/agricultural)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium to high
Customs delays: Medium to high
Port congestion: Medium to high
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Medium to high

Trade

Top import partners

China United States United Arab Emirates India Netherlands

Top export partners

Switzerland China Netherlands

Top import goods

Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles
Chemicals
Consumer goods

Top export goods

Gold
Crude oil
Cocoa
Timber
Aluminium

Typical cargo

Gold
Cocoa and cocoa products
Crude oil and petroleum products
Manganese ore / bauxite
Timber
Aluminium
Machinery and vehicles (imports)

Upcoming public holidays

Farmer's DayFri, 4 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
Boxing DaySat, 26 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Constitution DayThu, 7 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Independence DaySat, 6 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Good FridayFri, 26 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Easter MondayMon, 29 Mar 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

Ocean Freight: Service Disruptions, New FAK Rates, and Congestion in West Africa21 Oct 2026
39 departures cancelled until early November. Shipping lines test higher list rates, while West African ports struggle with long waiting times and reefer surcharges.

Logistics questions

What is the import VAT rate in Ghana?

Since 1 January 2026 (VAT Act 2025, Act 1151) a VAT of 15 percent applies, plus NHIL 2.5 percent and GETFund 2.5 percent on the same base; the COVID levy was abolished. Import duty under the ECOWAS CET and processing/ECOWAS/AU levies also apply.

Which customs system does Ghana use?

Since 2020 customs is processed electronically via ICUMS (Integrated Customs Management System) of the Ghana Revenue Authority. Declarations are filed through licensed customs brokers.

What import duties apply?

Ghana applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) with bands of 0, 5, 10, 20 and 35 percent on the CIF value, plus a processing fee, ECOWAS levy and AU levy among others.

What are the main ports?

The seaports of Tema (the largest, near Accra, with the deepwater MPS Terminal 3) and Takoradi (raw materials such as manganese, bauxite, cocoa and oil) together handle around 85 percent of foreign trade.

Which free trade agreements does Ghana have?

Ghana is a founding member of ECOWAS (customs union, ETLS) and a party to the AfCFTA, whose Secretariat is in Accra. It also has an interim EPA with the EU (since 2016) and an interim agreement with the United Kingdom.

Which transport modes are relevant for Ghana?

Sea freight (Tema, Takoradi) and air freight via Kotoka International Airport in Accra dominate. Road corridors link the ports to the north and landlocked neighbours; the rail network is being rehabilitated and partly rebuilt.

What logistics risks exist?

Watch for possible port congestion and inspections, bureaucracy and corruption risks in customs clearance, and Cedi exchange-rate volatility. Seasonally, the rainy season and Harmattan dust can affect transport.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗