Ghana’s Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has officially announced the scrapping of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) programme, signaling a strategic policy shift towards agro-processing parks under the government’s new 24-Hour Economy framework.
Speaking before Parliament on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the Minister confirmed that the 1D1F policy—once a flagship industrialisation drive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)—has not only ended but currently offers no active incentives for private sector investment.
“Mr. Speaker, I want to draw the House’s attention to the fact that as of now, there is no policy as 1D1F,” Mrs. Ofosu-Adjare declared.
Her response came following a question by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who sought clarification on the policy tools being used to attract private sector investment following the termination of 1D1F. He also queried whether the ministry was exploring new industrial parks as part of a revised national industrialization strategy.
In response, Mrs. Ofosu-Adjare outlined a renewed government focus driven by the 24-hour economy concept, describing it as a “game-changer” poised to energise Ghana’s economic activity round-the-clock.
“The 24-hour economy policy is the new thing on the block and the game changer, which seeks to make Ghana very vibrant irrespective of the minute of the hour or the time of the day,” she said.
As a core pillar of this framework, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is rolling out agro-processing parks, which the Minister described as “transformative.”
“We are doing agro-parks, which seek to be a great game changer, especially in the agro-processing zones. It is being worked on to ensure we are able to produce around the clock for import substitution, export, foreign exchange, and job creation,” she added.
The now-defunct 1D1F, launched in 2017, aimed to establish at least one factory in each district to boost local industrial output, reduce raw material exports, and promote value-added production. While it had initial momentum, critics say it became unsustainable due to inadequate support and inconsistent implementation.
With its phase-out, Ghana’s industrial development narrative is being reshaped to align with 24-hour production cycles, job creation, and export diversification, especially in agriculture-linked value chains.
