President John Dramani Mahama has set an ambitious goal to increase the share of manufacturing in Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to at least 15% by 2030, aiming to drive industrial growth and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Speaking at the commissioning of a Calcined Clay Plant for Supacem Cement in Tema on Thursday, March 5, 2026, he said the expansion of the manufacturing sector would strengthen the country’s economic base while generating employment for Ghanaians.

“My government has set an ambitious target of increasing the share of manufacturing in our GDP to at least 15% by 2030. We believe that this will create an additional half a million decent jobs for our people. I am confident that we can attain this,” President Mahama said.

The President said recent developments in the country’s industrial zones give him confidence that the target is achievable.

“At the beginning of the year, I visited the Special Economic Zones, and the industries that have come to set up there, particularly in the textile space and steel manufacturing, give me hope that we can achieve this target,” he added.

He emphasised that bolstering the manufacturing sector will not only boost economic growth but also create sustainable employment and deepen Ghana’s industrial capacity in the years ahead.

Ghana has been seeking to diversify its economy beyond services and extractive industries, and the government sees manufacturing-led growth as a key strategy to generate jobs, attract investment, and reduce import dependence.

Experts say reaching a 15% manufacturing share of GDP would represent a significant step forward for Ghana, which has historically relied heavily on agriculture and services for economic output.

President Mahama’s announcement comes amid renewed efforts to expand industrial zones, attract foreign investment, and modernise local manufacturing infrastructure, signalling a major push towards industrial transformation by 2030.