Ghana Launches Cotton Revival Initiative to Boost Textile Industry
Accra, Ghana: Ghana has launched a pilot cotton production project covering more than 20 hectares in Savelugu Municipality as the government moves to revive large-scale cotton cultivation and strengthen the country’s textile value chain.
The Northern Cotton Revival Initiative, announced by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry on August 27, is being implemented with local and international partners. The programme aims to establish a cotton production belt across several districts in Ghana’s Northern Region.
Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said increasing domestic cotton production would provide textile and garment manufacturers with a reliable supply of raw materials, reduce production costs and help lower the country’s import bill.
The initiative comes as Ghana continues to rely on imported cotton to meet the needs of its textile industry. In July, President John Dramani Mahama said the government was in discussions with Benin, one of Africa’s leading cotton producers, to supply cotton fibre to Volta Star Textiles Limited, a former industrial facility being rehabilitated in Juapong in the Volta Region.
At its peak, the facility had an estimated production capacity of around 26 million yards, or nearly 24 million metres, of fabric annually. Ghana’s dependence on external supplies reflects the limited availability of locally produced cotton. FAO data shows that the country’s seed cotton output remained at around 28,000 tonnes between 2020 and 2024, from approximately 15,000 hectares of cultivated area.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s textile and apparel manufacturing capacity is also expanding. On August 28, Northshore Apparel Ghana Ltd officially inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Savelugu, which is expected to produce garments for international brands.
The project represents an initial investment of nearly €10 million ($11.6 million) and is co-financed by the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) and German development bank KfW. The facility currently operates 50 sewing lines and employs more than 2,300 people in its first phase.
Northshore Apparel also plans to strengthen links with local cotton producers. The second phase of the project is expected to include a cotton-processing unit, while the third phase is planned to establish a local outgrower network to ensure a consistent supply of raw materials.
The development could create a new domestic market for Ghanaian cotton while supporting the government’s efforts to rebuild an integrated cotton-to-garment value chain, covering cultivation, ginning, textile processing and apparel manufacturing.
The major challenge now will be scaling cotton production beyond the pilot stage and establishing a sustainable supply base capable of meeting the growing requirements of Ghana’s textile and apparel industry.