As the Netherlands marks King’s Day on Monday, April 27, the Ghana-Netherlands economic relationship stands at a point of transition, one shaped over years of deliberate diplomatic and trade engagement and now defined more by commerce than by aid.
Ghana’s exports to the Netherlands reached €650 million in 2024, up from €450 million the previous year, driven mainly by cocoa beans, cocoa products, and aluminium. The Netherlands, in turn, exported approximately €1.2 billion worth of goods to Ghana, including refined petroleum, poultry, and margarine, bringing bilateral trade to a combined €2.2 billion.
Relations between the two countries have increasingly taken on strategic economic significance. In May 2025, both countries signed an addendum in The Hague under the Food and Agriculture Working Group to deepen cooperation in the vegetable seed sector, targeting agricultural productivity, food systems innovation, and agribusiness investment.
Ambassador Jeroen Verheul, who has served in Accra since 2021, has been closely associated with this shift. His approach has been consistent: a stable macroeconomic environment and a predictable business climate are prerequisites for attracting and retaining investment. His contribution to discussions around the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Bill, now passed by Parliament, formed part of this engagement, pushing for reforms that strengthen investor confidence while stressing that businesses already operating in Ghana are the most credible draw for new investment.
Verheul said the biggest visible shift has been the move from goods-only trade toward in-country production. Dutch companies such as Kuipers Breeders now produce day-old chicks locally rather than flying them in from Amsterdam, while Koudijs de Heus produces animal feed for the poultry and aquaculture sectors, with Kuipers now considering an additional production facility in Kumasi.
In January 2026, the Netherlands co-launched the Green, Digital and Inclusive Private Sector Development Program, a €17.3 million Team Europe initiative co-financed with the European Union and France, focused on access to finance for early-stage businesses, green innovation, digital financial solutions, and youth entrepreneurship, including an expansion of Orange Corners to Tamale and Kumasi.
Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie, representing President John Dramani Mahama at this year’s King’s Day reception, paid tribute to Verheul for his contribution to strengthening bilateral ties as his tenure draws to a close.
With over 150 Dutch companies now operating in Ghana and trade volumes continuing to rise, the results of this steady engagement are increasingly visible. The Ghana-Netherlands relationship is no longer defined primarily by development assistance, but by a shared stake in trade, investment, and long-term economic cooperation.
