Olam Agri opens new US$40m Ghana pasta plant

Photo source: Olam Agri

Singapore-based agribusiness company Olam Agri has officially started production at its new US$40m pasta facility in Accra. The launch arrives against the backdrop of Ghana's recent ban on overland pasta imports, a policy designed to eliminate smuggling, secure state revenues, and insulate local producers from illicit competition.

With an annual production capacity of 60,000 tonnes, the facility will initially roll out spaghetti before expanding its lines to include macaroni and other short-cut varieties. To cater to shifting dietary trends, the entire range will be fortified with essential vitamins and micronutrients.

Between 2021 and 2024, Ghana spent roughly US$140m on foreign pasta, ranking it among the continent's top importers. This outsized demand is largely driven by local culinary habits. Pasta, known locally as talia, is a staple side for waakye, a popular rice and bean dish. Olam’s facility aims to supply 40% of this domestic market, trimming the national import bill. However, the foreign exchange savings will be somewhat offset by the plant's reliance on imported raw wheat.

Speaking at the launch, President John Mahama confirmed the Olam plant qualifies for the state’s ‘24-hour economy’ initiative, a flagship policy designed to accelerate industrialisation and replace foreign goods. The programme pushes manufacturing companies to maintain round-the-clock operations in three daily shifts through targeted incentives such as cheaper off-peak electricity, tax relief and financing support. This initiative sits at the heart of the broader economic reset Mahama promised upon his inauguration in January 2025. Born out of the severe economic crisis and debt default Ghana experienced between 2022 and 2024, the agenda seeks to stabilise the macroeconomy, lower business costs, and drive growth.

Ghana’s recent import ban, which also covers products such as cooking oil, rice, sugar and textiles, is intended in part to stop pasta from entering illegally through Togo, on the country’s eastern border. Togo, a country of fewer than 10m people, is currently Africa’s largest pasta importer – a position Mahama said probably reflects smuggling rather than domestic demand.

The new factory adds to Olam Agri’s existing operations in Ghana. The company already runs the country's largest wheat mill in Tema, producing the First Choice and Royal Gold flour brands, alongside a separate rice business with brands such as Mama Gold. It is the latest addition to the company’s wheat milling and pasta network, joining other facilities in Nigeria, Senegal and Cameroon.

References

'President Mahama assents to the 24-hour Economy Authority Bill, 2025', The Presidency Republic of Ghana, 19 February 2026

'New Olam Agri plant targets 40% pasta import cut', Ghana News Agency, 7 March 2026

'Africa's pasta capital bans land imports to protect new factory', Bloomberg, 9 March 2026

'X post', Ministry of Finance Ghana, 9 March 2026

'Olam Agri commissions Ghana's first state-of-the-art pasta factory', Olam Agri, 10 March 2026

'Ghana's reset agenda takes centre stage in Rome - a vision of prosperity, global justice', GhanaWeb, 11 March 2026

'Togo population', Worldometer, Accessed 20 March 2026

'Ghana', Olam Agri, Accessed 20 March 2026

'LinkedIn post', Olam Agri, March 2026