Key Facts
—What. Ghana signed a US$270 million poultry investment agreement with UK firm Agrium Capital in London on 22 October 2026.
—Why. Ghana imports about 270,000 tonnes of chicken a year, costing roughly US$400 million.
—Target. First-phase output of 20,000 tonnes a year, possibly rising to 50,000 tonnes.
—Timeline. Design and development are expected to take 10 to 12 months, in three phases.
—Not yet known. Whether the US$270 million is binding financing; the reports do not say.
Ghana signed an agreement on Thursday 22 October 2026 to advance a US$270 million poultry investment with Agrium Capital, a UK agrifood investor. The aim is to cut imports of about 270,000 tonnes of chicken a year that cost Ghana roughly US$400 million.
What Was Signed in London
Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Secretariat signed an addendum with Agrium Capital in London, according to Ghanaian outlets Pulse and Graphic Online. Agrium Capital is a subsidiary of Asset Green Ltd.
It builds on Heads of Terms, a preliminary deal outline, signed in late August 2026 in Accra, reported Ghana Business News. Petra Trust, Axis Pension Trust and Ghana EXIM Bank witnessed the London signing.
What the Project Covers
The plan covers the whole poultry chain, from feed, breeding and hatcheries to farming, processing, cold storage and distribution. First-phase output is projected at 20,000 tonnes of processed chicken a year, with potential to reach 50,000 tonnes.
Ghana eats about 340,000 tonnes of chicken a year, so first-phase output would meet about 6% of demand. Imports cover roughly 270,000 tonnes, at a foreign-exchange cost of about US$400 million a year, according to Ghana Business News.
Timeline and Jobs
Agrium Capital’s chief executive, Rod Bassett, said design and development should take 10 to 12 months, with a rollout in three phases. He put the jobs at more than 1,000 direct and over 2,500 indirect once fully running.
Pulse and Graphic Online instead cite 12,000 direct jobs, the same figure reported in August. The reports do not explain the gap between the two estimates.
Who Said What
Augustus Goosie Tanoh, the president’s adviser on the 24-hour economy programme, said the deal shows the government’s strategy of mobilising private capital into productive sectors. Kofi D. Fynn, managing director of Petra Trust, said pension funds are ready to put long-term capital into such projects.
What It Means for US Readers
Ghana imports about four in five of the chickens it eats, and the reports do not say which countries supply them. If local output grows, import demand could fall over time.
For investors, the structure is notable because it pairs a foreign investor with Ghanaian pension money. How far that holds will show in the next stage, when the shareholders’ agreement is due.
What Is Not Known
The reports describe an agreement to advance the US$270 million investment, not proof that the full sum is committed under binding financing. Each partner’s share, the project location and the interest terms have not been published.
Citi Newsroom reported the Heads of Terms would become a shareholders’ agreement for execution within weeks. We found no confirmed date for it.
Sources
Pulse Ghana, 23 Oct 2026 · Graphic Online · Ghana Business News, 28 Aug 2026 · Citi Newsroom
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Ghana sign on 22 October 2026?
Ghana signed an addendum with UK firm Agrium Capital in London to advance a US$270 million poultry investment. It builds on Heads of Terms signed in late August in Accra.
How much chicken does Ghana import?
Ghana imports roughly 270,000 tonnes a year out of about 340,000 tonnes consumed. That costs around US$400 million a year, according to Ghana Business News.
How big will the new project be?
First-phase output is projected at 20,000 tonnes of processed chicken a year, possibly rising to 50,000 tonnes. It would roll out in three phases over time.
How many jobs will it create?
Agrium Capital’s chief executive said more than 1,000 direct and 2,500 indirect jobs. Other reports cite 12,000 direct jobs, and the gap is unexplained.