KMA Introduces Local Business Protections as Accra Brewery Warns of Massive Job Risks Under New Tax Regime

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has announced a significant policy shift aimed at shielding local enterprises from foreign competition through a tiered tariff structure. Metropolitan Chief Executive Hon. Richard Akwasi Ofori-Agyemang confirmed that the new regime, which began rollout in late 2023, maintains existing levies for Ghanaian-owned businesses while imposing additional charges on foreign operators. This initiative has received strong backing from the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), with President Abass Stephanie Miezan emphasizing its potential to ease operational hurdles for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the KMA has cautioned that local businesses must simultaneously focus on improving product quality to remain competitive in the evolving market.

While local trade protections gain momentum, the manufacturing sector faces potential upheaval due to proposed changes to Ghana’s beer excise duty. Accra Brewery PLC (ABL) has raised an alarm, warning that a shift in the sliding-scale tax rates could jeopardize up to 2,000 jobs across the beer value chain and impact its budget by approximately $7.5 million. ABL argues that the proposed adjustments, slated for implementation by FY27, inadvertently favor imported beer over local production. The brewery is currently advocating for the government to maintain current rates through FY26 and FY27 to allow for a more comprehensive impact assessment on an industry that supports over 52,000 jobs nationwide.

In the financial services sector, the Ghana Association of Savings and Loans Companies (GHASALC) has reported a remarkable 89% increase in total income, rising from GH¢972,207 in 2024 to GH¢1.84 million in 2025. Despite this growth, Board Chairman Dr. Fred Safo-Kantanka has urged continued financial discipline as the sector prepares for major structural reforms. The Bank of Ghana is currently collaborating with industry players on a regulatory roadmap that includes a planned sector categorization and a potential name change for the association by January 2027. Matilda Asante, the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, has reassured stakeholders that these reforms are designed to bring greater clarity and governance to the microfinance landscape.

Looking toward broader continental trade, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, is calling for enhanced financing mechanisms to help Ghanaian MSMEs capitalize on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). With intraregional trade projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars, the Ministry is focusing on removing logistics barriers and supporting women entrepreneurs. This push for financial empowerment is being echoed by digital finance leaders like Shaibu Haruna of MMFL, who argues that the national digital agenda must prioritize "financial health"—specifically the ability to save, borrow, and invest—rather than just providing basic access. Together, these regulatory, fiscal, and digital shifts signal a transformative period for the Ghanaian business environment under the current administration.