Ghana, a country considered Africa’s pasta capital, has announced a ban on pasta imports by land in a move aimed at curbing the smuggling of the product and protecting a newly opened domestic processing facility from unfair competition. The policy forms part of broader efforts by the government to strengthen local manufacturing and safeguard tax revenues.
The decision comes only days after the inauguration of Ghana’s first-ever large-scale pasta processing plant, a development officials say will reduce dependence on imported food products while supporting the domestic industry.
The policy under which Ghana bans pasta imports by land was confirmed by the country’s finance ministry through its official X, formerly Twitter, account, which also introduced restrictions on several other goods entering the country through land borders.
According to an announcement, the restrictions also apply to cooking oil, rice, sugar, textiles and frozen foods.
Officials say the measures are intended to prevent the entry of smuggled products that often bypass official customs channels and undercut locally produced goods. The government argues that such imports not only weaken local industries but also reduce the state’s ability to collect taxes on legitimate trade.
The decision to ban pasta imports by land follows the opening of a new pasta processing facility operated by Olam Agri.
During the inauguration, the country’s President John Mahama highlighted the importance of protecting local production from unfair competition.
“Now that we have our own pasta factory here, we must ensure that cheap, smuggled pasta does not enter through our eastern border,” Mahama said during the ceremony.
Apart from creating more than three hundred direct and indirect jobs, the new facility is designed to produce about 40,000 tonnes of wheat-based pasta annually, a volume expected to meet roughly 40 per cent of Ghana’s domestic demand.
Ghana’s growing appetite for pasta has played a major role in the decision to invest in domestic production. Between 2021 and 2024, the country imported about 140 million dollars worth of pasta, making it one of the largest markets for the product in Africa.
Ghana ranks as the second-largest pasta importer on the continent, behind neighbouring Togo.
Pasta is widely consumed across the country and is commonly served with waakye, a popular meal eaten for breakfast or lunch. Locally, the pasta is often referred to as talia. The strong consumer demand has created a large market for both imported and locally produced pasta.
Supporters of the policy say the decision to ban pasta imports by land could help local producers compete more effectively while encouraging further investment in food processing industries. The initiative also aligns with Ghana’s broader strategy to expand domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported consumer goods.
Despite the expected benefits, some analysts point out that the long-term impact of the new factory may be limited by the country’s dependence on imported wheat.
Although the facility processes wheat into pasta locally, the raw grain itself still needs to be imported, meaning that a significant portion of the production cost remains tied to international markets.
Even so, policymakers view the move as an important step toward strengthening local industry and capturing more value within the domestic economy.
As Ghana implements the policy under which it bans pasta imports by land, the John Mahama government hopes the measure will support the growth of the new factory while reducing the influx of smuggled goods that undermine local production.