Freight volumes on the West African trade corridor connecting Ghana's coastal ports with landlocked markets in Burkina Faso and Mali increased by 18% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to data released by the ECOWAS Trade Commission. The growth represents the strongest quarterly performance on the corridor in three years and reflects both recovering demand in the inland markets and structural improvements to cross-border facilitation that have made the Ghana route more competitive.
The composition of the freight increase is dominated by two categories: food and agricultural commodities, particularly rice, vegetable oils, and processed foods moving from Tema into Burkina Faso and onwards; and construction materials, primarily steel, cement, and roofing products moving in response to active infrastructure development programmes in landlocked capitals. Both categories have been growing steadily through 2025 as the economies of Burkina Faso and Mali have pursued infrastructure investment despite political transitions in both countries.
Ghana's ports remain the preferred entry point for goods destined for landlocked West African markets over Ivorian and Togolese alternatives for several reasons. The depth and capacity of Tema Port accommodate larger vessels than the competing regional ports, which matters for the economics of containerised bulk imports. Ghana's road infrastructure between Tema and the northern border crossings, while not without challenges, has also benefited from recent maintenance investment. And the documentation environment at Tema, while it has its own complexities, is considered relatively predictable by corridor logistics operators.
Cross-border facilitation at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border crossing remains an area of active work. Transit documentation requirements, particularly the TIE carnet system that governs the movement of cargo in bond through Ghana without duty payment for onward transit, have been a source of procedural friction for corridor operators. Both governments have indicated interest in harmonising transit documentation with ECOWAS facilitation frameworks, and progress on that front would further improve the corridor's competitiveness and reduce dwell time at border crossings that currently adds a day or more to end-to-end transit times.
For logistics operators active on the corridor, the 18% growth trajectory represents real commercial opportunity. Corridor freight is a volume business, and the economics improve significantly at higher volumes through better asset utilisation on the return leg and stronger negotiating positions with cross-border transport operators. Companies that have invested in reliable documentation capability, strong relationships with Ghanaian customs authorities, and established carrier networks into the landlocked markets are well-positioned to capture a disproportionate share of the growth.