The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) and the National AfCFTA Coordination Office (NCO) have strengthened collaboration to promote trade facilitation and support a more competitive environment for Ghanaian exporters under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The National Coordinator of the NCO, Mr. Dode Seidu, paid a working visit to GSA on Monday, 5th October 2026, at the Ghana Shippers House. The visit provided an opportunity for officials of both institutions to review past trade facilitation efforts and discuss ongoing programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting Ghanaian exporters and boosting commercial shipping activities under the AfCFTA.
The Head of Shipper Services and Trade Facilitation at GSA, Mrs Monica Josiah, outlined the Authority’s renewed mandate to regulate the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers. She also highlighted ongoing effort to establish a competitive, predictable and fair ecosystem for the sector, which would support Ghana’s ambition of becoming a maritime hub in the sub-region.
“For us to take advantage of the Continental Free Trade Area, we cannot ignore the role of shipping. The Ghana Shippers’ Authority, by virtue of its mandate, is a key stakeholder because transport – by sea, road and rail – is an enabler.
“Having an efficient transport system that allows trade to flow at optimal cost, while recognising speed, time and all the other factors that make us competitive, is critical. So, at the GSA, we are very interested in the success of AfCFTA,” Mrs Josiah said.
The National Coordinator of the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mr Dode Seidu, acknowledged the support his office had received from GSA and noted that there were additional areas where both institutions could deepen their collaboration.
According to him, existing conventions and protocols could be leveraged to improve the efficiency of transporting goods along trade corridors, particularly in addressing recurring complaints of non-tariff barriers (NTBs), which continue to hamper the smooth movement of goods.
In line with these efforts, the GSA briefed the meeting on its collaboration with TradeMark Africa (TMA) to roll out a specialised digital portal aimed at addressing non-tariff barriers and other cross-border trade-related challenges. GSA expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen the identification and resolution of trade bottlenecks, while providing timely information on emerging issues within the trade environment. As part of the collaboration, the National AfCFTA Coordination Office (NCO) would be integrated into the portal to enhance information sharing and visibility on developments affecting trade.
Both institutions expressed their commitment to sharing information on relevant programmes and initiatives and providing inputs to strengthen trade facilitation, improve the efficiency of cargo movement and enhance Ghana’s competitiveness under the AfCFTA.
