The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has stated that enforcing laws on foreign participation in Ghana’s retail sector remains challenging because foreign operators often use locals as fronts.
Addressing the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the Trade Minister rejected claims that foreigners dominate the country’s retail market, saying such views do not reflect the reality on the ground.
“I can say confidently, without any scientific data, that foreigners do not control 70 percent of our retail market.I don’t need rocket science; I just need to visit the market and count how many shops foreigners run.”
She further explained that business ownership arrangements frequently hide the actual beneficiaries, even within official documentation.
“How can you justify closing a shop just because it is allegedly not Ghanaian-own when a Ghanaian actually runs it? The Registrar-General’s Authority also shows that a Ghanaian registered the shop.”
Her remarks come at a time of heightened public debate over the enforcement of laws that limit foreign involvement in Ghana’s retail trade.
