Editrial: Advancing regional trade integration

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Ghana and Niger to renew their long-standing trade cooperation and tackle  persistent bottlenecks on the transit corridor.

At a ceremony held at the Ghana Shippers’ Authority head office (Shippers’ House), Chief Executive Officer Prof. Ransford Gyampo described the pact as timely – noting that transit operators continue to face challenges such as value-added tax (VAT) on transit cargo, opacity in handling goods, multiple checkpoints, extortion, axle-load issues and security risks.

These add to the cost of doing business and reduce the competitiveness of our commercial operators, he added. Prof. Gyampo appealed for all transit shippers to register with GSA in line with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122).

The registration exercise is critical to sanitising the transit system, strengthening accountability and curbing malpractices. The database to be created following registrations will also be shared with the Niger Shippers’ Council to improve coordination and mutual trust.

He pointed to ongoing investments such as the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal (BILT), designed to serve northern Ghana and landlinked neighbours including Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

When completed, BILT is expected to cut transport costs by 14 percent for cargo through Tema Port and up to 48 percent for Takoradi Port.

The project also ties into government’s broader 24-hour economy policy, which seeks to boost productivity and competitiveness by ensuring continuous operations across critical sectors, including logistics.

The new MoU commits both countries to joint efforts in information exchange, Customs harmonisation, ICT-based cargo tracking, research, shipper training and infrastructure development, while also establishing a technical committee to monitor progress and address emerging disputes.

For his part, Director-General of the Niger Shippers’ Council, Colonel Major Souley Ibrahim, commended steps taken to improve transit trade and pledged Niger’s collaboration in enforcing axle-load rules, harmonising Customs procedures and advancing regional trade integration.

Indeed, Ghana and Niger have a long history of cooperation in transit trade – formalised through MoUs signed in 2000, 2007 and 2018.

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