Ghana’s manufacturing and agro-processing sectors are facing mounting pressure as regional competitors roll out aggressive incentive packages that are drawing factories, capital, and skilled labour away from the country, according to the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana .

The Chamber estimates that without urgent intervention, Ghana could lose between 255,000 and 435,000 jobs over the next five years, alongside significant erosion of manufacturing capacity and human capital. Skills migration alone is projected to cost the country up to $1.19 billion in lost investment in trained professionals.

The warning follows Benin’s announcement of a new strategy aimed at attracting manufacturers from Ghana, Nigeria, and across the West African sub-region, leveraging lower taxes, cheaper electricity, faster port clearance, and duty-free access to key markets.

Data contained in the statement shows that Ghana’s corporate tax rate of 25 percent and industrial electricity costs of $0.14 to $0.19 per kilowatt-hour compare unfavourably with Benin’s 0–5 percent tax regime in Special Economic Zones and power tariffs as low as $0.08 per kilowatt-hour.

The Chamber described the situation as a defining moment for Ghana’s industrial future. “Ghana stands at a critical crossroads,” the statement said, warning that Benin’s strategy, combined with pressure from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, “poses an existential threat to our industrial development.”

While acknowledging the severity of the challenge, the Chamber stressed that policy reform could reverse the trend. “What we lack is competitive policy. This can be fixed with political will and urgent action,” the statement noted.

The Chamber urged the government to treat the situation as a national emergency, cautioning that continued inaction would deepen factory closures, job losses, and skills migration. “The time for action is now,” the statement said.