Ghana Chamber of Clean Energy Calls for Tax Cuts to Accelerate EV Transition

The Ghana Chamber of Clean Energy (GCCE), in partnership with International Perspective for Policy & Governance (IPPG), is urging government to reduce import duties and taxes on electric vehicles (EVs) and related components to fast-track Ghana’s clean transport transition and stimulate local industrial growth.

The call forms part of the newly launched Ghana Clean Transportation Outlook 2026, a first-of-its-kind publication assessing how Ghana’s electric mobility market is evolving and where policy and investment can deliver the greatest impact.

According to the report, while Ghana’s private sector has demonstrated innovation and resilience in advancing e-mobility, stronger and more targeted government intervention will be essential to unlock scale.

Three Segments, Two Driving Momentum

The Outlook identifies three core segments shaping Ghana’s clean transport transition:

1. Passenger electric vehicles (EVs)

2. Electric motorbikes and tricycles

3. Electric public transport (including buses and trotros)

This edition focuses on passenger EVs and electric two- and three-wheelers, where commercial activity is already emerging.

Electric Motorbikes and Tricycles Lead

Of the two segments, electric motorbikes and tricycles are described as the most advanced.

These vehicles align naturally with Ghana’s expanding delivery services and the informal “okada” economy, where motorbikes serve as income-generating assets in ride-hailing, courier services, and logistics.

Companies are already assembling—and in some cases manufacturing—electric motorbikes and batteries locally. Battery-swapping systems and service-based business models are reducing upfront purchase costs and keeping vehicles in near-constant commercial use.

This approach lowers entry barriers for riders while creating domestic value chains in assembly, servicing, and battery management, positioning the segment as the clearest near-term pathway for scaling industrial development in Ghana’s e-mobility ecosystem.

Passenger EVs Lag Behind

By contrast, the passenger EV market remains relatively small and is dominated by imports of new and used vehicles.

The report highlights strong competition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, especially used imports. These vehicles benefit from:

• Established supply chains

• Readily available spare parts

• Extensive repair networks

• Lower upfront costs

Together, these advantages have slowed passenger EV adoption and constrained domestic value-chain development.

The Outlook notes that progress in both segments has been largely driven by private-sector initiative, often in the face of high capital costs and policy uncertainty.

Call for Immediate Fiscal Reform

Against this backdrop, the GCCE is calling for immediate fiscal adjustments to support market formation.

In the short term, the Chamber recommends:

• Reducing import duties and taxes on EVs

• Lowering taxes on components for local assembly of electric motorbikes and tricycles

• Ensuring clearer and more predictable implementation of existing incentives

• Introducing preferential electricity tariffs for EV charging and battery-swapping stations

These measures, the report argues, would improve competitiveness against ICE vehicles and accelerate infrastructure deployment.

Financing and Industrial Policy

In the medium term, the Outlook emphasises the need for:

• EV-specific financing and risk-sharing mechanisms

• Partnerships with local financial institutions to improve affordability

• Stronger support for local assembly and manufacturing

The report also recommends adopting segment-specific implementation frameworks under the National Electric Vehicle Policy, recognising that passenger EVs, electric two- and three-wheelers, and public transport operate under distinct economic dynamics.

Aligning policy tools with these realities, the Chamber argues, will be critical to unlocking industrial development and crowding in private investment.

Jobs, Air Quality and Energy Security

Beyond industrial expansion, the report underscores broader national benefits of accelerating electric mobility, including:

• Job creation in assembly, maintenance, and battery management

• Reduced urban air pollution

• Lower dependence on imported fuels

• Improved long-term energy resilience

The Ghana Clean Transportation Outlook 2026 frames clean transport not merely as an environmental ambition but as an economic strategy.

With the right fiscal incentives, regulatory clarity, and financing support, Ghana could convert early private-sector momentum into a scalable industry capable of transforming urban mobility and strengthening national energy security.

Download full report here: https://cleanenergyghana.org/publications/