Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) officials and business leaders recently returned from an outward selling mission to Nigeria and Ghana as part of its mandate to strengthen South Africa’s trade and investment footprint in Africa.
The DTIC said a delegation of South African companies, supported through the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme, had participated in a programme that included trade and investment seminars, business-to-business engagements, and site visits in Lagos and Accra.
DTIC chief director of Export Promotion, Zanele Sanni, said the trip had provided local businesses with important exposure to the Nigerian and Ghanaian markets.
“The platforms created during this week have allowed our delegation to introduce their products and services, explore areas of collaboration, and gain insights into the evolving trade and investment landscape in West Africa,” said Sanni.
Delegates visited the Dawa Industrial Zone, one of Ghana’s flagship industrialisation projects, on the last day of the mission.
“The visit to Dawa Industrial Zone highlighted the scale of opportunities that exist for industrial cooperation. It underscored Ghana’s commitment to manufacturing and value-added production, which could present future partnership prospects for South African companies,” Sanni said.
She said while immediate outcomes would take time to materialise, the groundwork laid during the mission was an important step in strengthening South Africa’s trade relations in the region.
“As with all outward missions, the tangible results will become clearer in the coming months as participating companies build on the connections they have made. What is important is that we have taken deliberate steps to deepen our economic ties with two of West Africa’s most strategic partners, and that momentum will carry forward.”
The DTIC, working in collaboration with the South African High Commissions in Nigeria and Ghana, said it would continue to provide follow-up support to participating companies to ensure the development of sustainable trade and investment growth.
