Ghana has achieved a significant diplomatic and economic win after the United States lifted its recent tariffs on the country’s cocoa and a broad range of agricultural products.
The reversal provides crucial relief to one of West Africa’s key export economies. President Donald Trump rescinded the 15% tariff previously imposed on Ghanaian cocoa and other agricultural exports, marking a major financial boost for the nation.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed the development in a statement on his Facebook page, noting that the tariff reversal took effect on November 13, 2025, following a new Executive Order signed by President Trump.
“U.S. diplomats have confirmed to me that the reversal of the 15% tariff took effect on November 13, 2025, following President Trump’s new Executive Order. Ghana welcomes this positive development from the United States, which remains the world’s largest importer of chocolate and cocoa products,” Ablakwa said.
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The rollback is expected to significantly benefit Ghana’s cocoa industry, which exports about 78,000 metric tons of cocoa beans annually to the United States.
With global spot prices around $5,300 per metric ton, Ghana stands to gain approximately US$60 million (GHS 667 million) in additional revenue each year.
The tariff cancellation also covers other agricultural products, including cashew nuts, avocado, banana, mango, orange, lime, plantain, pineapple, guava, coconut, ginger, and assorted peppers, further enhancing the economic impact for Ghanaian farmers and exporters.
As seen on Business Insider Africa, the decision follows months of evolving diplomatic engagement between Accra and Washington, during which Ghana adopted a cooperative stance toward U.S. immigration and deportation policies.
In September, the United States lifted visa restrictions previously imposed in July 2025, allowing Ghanaian applicants to be eligible for five-year multiple-entry visas.
This was part of a new agreement permitting the U.S. to deport certain migrants to Ghana or, if necessary, to approved third countries.
Ghana now joins a small group of African countries, including Eswatini, Rwanda, and Uganda, that have accepted arrangements supporting the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement agenda, while other nations, notably Nigeria, declined.
The cocoa tariff removal is widely viewed as a reflection of the recalibrated U.S.–Ghana relationship, in which Accra’s cooperation on sensitive migration matters appears to be paying off.
For Ghana, the timing of the tariff reversal is particularly beneficial as the government seeks new revenue streams amid tightening global financial conditions.
For the United States, the move may also signal a strategic effort to strengthen ties with a politically stable West African partner amid intensifying global competition for influence on the continent.
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Image Credit: COCOBOD
