By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted a key challenge facing the continent, saying that although Africa produces most of the world’s cocoa, it captures only a small share of the global chocolate market.
Speaking at the Africa Trade Summit on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the President said much of the cocoa produced on the continent is exported in raw form and later sold back to African countries as finished products such as chocolate.
He noted that this practice limits employment opportunities, particularly for young people, who could otherwise be engaged in cocoa processing and manufacturing.
“Africa produces most of the world’s cocoa yet captures only a small fraction of the value of the global chocolate market,” he said.
President Mahama urged African countries to move away from the export of raw materials and instead prioritise value addition as a pathway to job creation and industrial growth.
