Ghana’s informal cross-border trade reached GH¢31 billion between January and September 2025, exceeding the GH¢20.1 billion recorded in formal trade with Togo, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire over the same period, according to a new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The report, based on the country’s first extended survey of Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT), found that unrecorded trade accounted for about 6% of Ghana’s total trade during the first three quarters of 2025.

It highlighted the significant contribution of informal trading activities to the economy, despite the sector’s long-standing exclusion from official trade statistics.

Government Statistician Alhassan Iddrisu speaking at the launch of the report on July 15, 2026, said measuring informal trade provides a more accurate picture of Ghana’s economy and will support evidence-based policymaking.

He noted that the sector had remained a blind spot in national economic data for years, making it difficult to fully assess the role of small-scale traders in supporting livelihoods, employment and regional commerce.

The survey covered 206 active border points across 10 regions bordering Togo, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.

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A total of 676 field officers were deployed to collect data through direct observation and trader interviews between January and September 2025.

According to the findings, informal trade consistently accounted for about 6% of Ghana’s total trade throughout the three quarters.

Trade with Togo recorded the highest level of informality, with unrecorded transactions accounting for between 70.5% and 77.8% of total bilateral trade.

In Côte d’Ivoire, informal trade accounted for more than three-fifths of total trade across all three quarters.

Although Ghana recorded trade surpluses in both formal and informal trade during the period, the report noted that the informal trade surplus declined sharply from GH¢665.3 million in the second quarter to GH¢49.3 million in the third quarter of 2025.

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The GSS said the findings would help strengthen border management, improve support for small-scale traders and enhance Ghana’s participation in regional trade initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

It recommended simplifying registration and licensing procedures for informal traders, improving infrastructure at border crossings and investing in local value chains for products such as rice, cooking oil and livestock.

According to the Service, sustained measurement of informal cross-border trade will ensure the sector is better understood, supported and integrated into Ghana’s national economic planning.



DR/MA