The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness estimates that more than 40 medium-to-large manufacturing projects will come on stream between 2025 and 2027, accounting for over US$1.2 billion in investment.
But even this optimistic projection does not take into account what would be by far the single biggest industrial project of all – the Atuabo Fertiliser Hub, an ambitious plan announced with Qatari partner Aljadad Group that has been reported as a US$5 billion investment to build a urea/ammonia fertiliser complex anchored at the Petroleum Hub in Atuabo in the Western Region.
However, there are still uncertainties with regards to that mega-project – construction was scheduled to commence in late 2025 but has not, and detailed timelines for phased production start-ups and confirmed capacity remain subject to final investment agreements.
Nevertheless there are an array industrial factories slated to commence operations next year and the year after. The 2026 budget and Ministry briefings have announced textiles and agro-processing at the centre of the next wave.
Government has confirmed plans to establish three new garment factories – sited in Bono East, Central and Eastern regions respectively – as part of the 24-Hour Economy industrialization push.
The finance ministry says the garment initiative alone is expected to create roughly 20,000 direct jobs and will begin operations in 2026, although firm commercial start dates for each plant will depend on the plans of the respective private partners.
On agro-processing, officials have detailed a programme to operationalize seven agro-processing plants as imminently as 2026, across the Northern, Central, Ahafo, Bono, North East, Bono East and Western North regions – each focused on commodities such as yam, fish, poultry, cashew, rice, shea and palm kernel oil. Analysts support government’s assertion that these plants will both reduce post-harvest losses and provide guaranteed offtake for out-growers.
Direct employment estimates are smaller per plant – each plant will employ hundreds of people, rather than thousands – but the supply-chain impact that they will generate should amplify their economic impact considerably.
Ministry statements and recent cabinet-level presentations also point to a wider pipeline involving planned special economic zones and industrial cities such as the proposed Gomoa Central Special Economic Zone.
There are also targeted investments in metals, rubber and leather processing, and a tranche of smaller value-addition plants financed or supported by the Ghana Exim Bank and other development partners including, notably, two cashew processing plants at Sampa and Aboabo.
Already, after years of intermittent activity and prolonged rehabilitation talk, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has restarted crude refining operations in the fourth quarter of 2025 following the resolution of financing and operational issues through the recent completion of a significant Turnaround Maintenance project a development that is expected to materially reduce Ghana’s downstream import bill and feed local fuel product supply chains.
Exact sustainable refining throughput on restart and planned ramp-up schedules are being finalized by TOR and government stakeholders.
But perhaps the boldest single headline planned project is the Atuabo Fertilizer Hub, an ambitious plan announced with Qatari partner Aljadad Group that has been reported as a US$5 billion investment to build a urea/ammonia fertilizer complex anchored at the Petroleum Hub in Atuabo, close to the gas processing plant from which it intends to draw feedstock for the requisite large power generation on which in will run.
Government briefings say feasibility work and land arrangements are advanced and that the project is intended to use local gas feedstock and serve both domestic and regional fertilizer demand – which, if realized, would be among the largest industrial investments in the pipeline
Public sources cite the Ministry’s headline total of 40 projects, involving total investment of over US$1.2billion as an aggregate of announced factories, private-sector commitments and pipeline deals being shepherded by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and GEIM Bank.
But there are important caveats: many projects are still at the commitment, feasibility or early construction stage, meaning financing, off-take contracts, land clearances and utility connections for power, water and gas remain uncompleted and could therefore affect the commencement of actual industrial activity.
Therefore the timelines given in public statements are plausible but subject to commercial negotiation and macroeconomic headwinds.
However, if the government’s pipeline delivers even a portion of the projects on schedule, the near term will see more industrial capacity in garments, agro-processing, fertilizer and refining – sectors that raise local value-addition and could reduce import dependence.
For investors and suppliers, the immediate opportunities are in construction supply chains, auxiliary services (logistics, power, water treatment), and upstream agricultural procurement. For policymakers, the priorities are clear: expedite permits, secure reliable utilities and lock in finance/off-taker agreements so announced projects can move from headline announcements to actual economic output.
By Toma Imirhe
