Airport Hours Extended, Gold Output Forecast, Cashew Decline

asanteyawobed
Jun 3
3 min read

Ghana’s economic landscape continues to evolve, with new infrastructure moves, sector projections, and market signals shaping investor and consumer sentiment. Today's edition of the Cedi Board® brings you top developments across aviation, mining, agriculture, and the local commodity market.

Extended Hours at Kumasi and Tamale Airports to Boost Domestic Travel

Effective June 1, 2025, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) have officially extended operating hours at two major domestic airports:

Prempeh I International Airport (Kumasi): 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tamale International Airport: 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

This policy move, announced via a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), aims to meet rising passenger demand and improve air connectivity within the country. Domestic airlines have been encouraged to increase flight frequencies to these routes.

This forms part of broader efforts to stimulate regional economic growth and improve travel convenience in the Ashanti and Northern Regions.

Ghana Projects Mineral Output Increase in 2025

The Ghana Chamber of Mines is optimistic about the country’s mining sector performance in 2025, projecting:

Gold output between 4.4M and 5.1M ounces
Manganese production at 8 million tonnes
Bauxite output at 2 million tonnes
Diamonds to rise to 400,000 carats

This bullish outlook is driven by consistent production from major players like Gold Fields, Zijin Mining, and Perseus Mining, and new output from Newmont’s Ahafo North Mine and Shandong Gold’s Namdini Mine.

A major policy shift is also in play: the transformation of PMMC into the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), tasked with local price setting, which could significantly influence small-scale gold mining, a sector projected to contribute up to 2.0M ounces in 2025.

Cashew Sector Suffers Major Blow as Output Drops by 30%

According to the Africa Cashew Alliance (ACA), Ghana’s raw cashew nut production plunged from 230,000 metric tonnes in 2023 to 161,000 metric tonnes in 2024, a 30% drop.

To revive the struggling sector, a Master Training Programme (MTP) was launched by ACA and GIZ/MOVE-ComCashew, funded by the EU and OACPS. The programme, which hosted 103 participants from 8 West African nations, aims to improve sustainability and strengthen the cashew value chain.

Key Ghanaian stakeholders,including CRIG, MoFA, and municipal authorities have pledged to support the sector through climate-resilient varieties, capacity-building, and preservation of research lands.

Cedi Board® Snapshot: Market Trends & Prices

Here’s how select consumer goods and currency performed this week:

Item	Price (June 2025)	Change Since Nov 2024
Bourbon Biscuits (32g) - 12pcs	GH₵25.00	↓ 10.71% from GH₵28.00
Bel Cola (350ml) - 16pcs	GH₵45.00	↑ 7.14% from GH₵42.00
USD/GHS Rate	GH₵10.26	(BoG Interbank Selling Rate, June 2, 2025)

While biscuit prices have eased,offering some relief to consumers, soft drink prices are trending upward, with the Bel Cola 16-pack now retailing at GH₵45.00, up 7.14% from November 2024.

This comes even as Bel Beverages has announced price reductions on some of its products, though the impact of these changes is yet to be reflected at the retail level.

Investor’s Insight: T-Bill Returns Remain Strong

For investors seeking safe, short-term opportunities, Ghana’s 91-day Treasury bill remains attractive:

If you invested GH₵100,000 in a 91-day T-bill on March 3, 2025, at a rate of 20.7905%, you would receive GH₵105,136.47 at maturity on June 2, 2025.

This represents a solid short-term return for low-risk capital preservation,especially in a market still grappling with inflation and currency depreciation pressures. T-bills continue to appeal to conservative investors looking to hedge against market volatility.

Final Thoughts

Today's macro and microeconomic updates show both opportunities and risks. While the aviation and mining sectors show promise, agriculture, particularly cashew is under strain. Meanwhile, price movements on the ground reflect broader inflationary forces, despite official price reductions.

Stay tuned to Finex Insights for reliable daily insights that help you navigate Ghana’s economic and investment landscape.