By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has announced that government will establish a $500 million oil palm development financing window in partnership with the World Bank and other Development Banks to support large-scale and sustainable oil palm production in Ghana.
Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday November 13, 2025, Dr. Forson said the initiative is part of government’s National Policy on Integrated Oil Palm Development aimed at transforming Ghana’s oil palm industry into a major source of jobs, industrial growth, and foreign exchange.
He explained that the financing window will provide long-term, low-interest loans with a five-year grace period and will cover up to 70 percent of project costs for qualified investors and farmers.
“Oil palm plantation development requires patience and long-term capital, not short-term loans. To meet these needs, government is establishing a $500 million oil palm development financing window with the World Bank, Development Finance Institutions, and our own Development Bank,” Dr. Forson said.
The Finance Minister noted that the policy will support the establishment of 100,000 hectares of new plantations, boost local refining and processing, and create an estimated 250,000 jobs across the value chain.
He stressed that smallholder farmers will be at the centre of the programme through an outgrower partnership scheme that will provide them with improved seedlings, access to mechanization services, credit, and guaranteed market prices for their produce.
“This policy will make Ghana self-sufficient in palm oil production, reduce imports, and position the country as a regional leader in sustainable palm oil by 2032,” Dr. Forson added.
According to him, the Tree Crops Development Authority, the Oil Palm Research Institute, and the Ghana Exim Bank will collaborate to provide technical support, research funding, and financial assistance under the initiative.
Dr. Forson emphasized that the programme goes beyond agriculture, describing it as a blueprint for industrialization, rural transformation, and shared prosperity.
