Ghana is emerging as one of Africa’s front-runners in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with Chinese brands and components dominating the market. According to Philip Akrofi Atitianti, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at the Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory, partnerships between Chinese EV manufacturers and local companies such as SolarTaxi and Kofa have helped accelerate the shift toward sustainable mobility.
SolarTaxi imports and assembles electric two- and three-wheelers, buses, and compact cars, while Kofa, working with China’s TAILG Group supplies the Jidi motorcycle and battery-swapping systems that address Ghana’s limited charging infrastructure. These innovations are giving Chinese EVs a competitive edge in a market where public charging points remain scarce.
Despite a government target to establish 1,000 charging stations nationwide by 2028, Ghana currently has only a handful, most located in Accra. A 2024 UNDP report revealed that just seven public charging stations were operational before Charge Express recently added a new four-outlet facility, also in the capital. For now, most EV users rely on home chargers, restricting practical use largely to urban commutes.
According to Dr. Atitianti, the servicing sector lags even further behind, with most maintenance handled by the original dealers. This scarcity of skilled technicians raises concerns among potential buyers about breakdowns and repairs, limiting broader adoption. He added.
Dr. Atitianti emphasizes that expanding public charging and service stations through private sector investment, blended financing, and public-private partnerships could significantly accelerate uptake. Solar-powered charging systems also hold promise, though scaling them will require strong policy backing and sustained investment.
To ensure long-term sustainability, he recommends boosting local technical expertise. Partnerships between EV firms and Ghana’s vocational institutes could train a new generation of mechanics capable of servicing electric vehicles nationwide.
While challenges remain, Ghana’s EV market is steadily building momentum, positioning the country as a case study in how African nations can blend foreign partnerships, local enterprise, and targeted infrastructure development to drive green mobility.
Philip Akrofi Atitianti, Ph.D.‘s insights have been taken from his August 2025 analysis for the Africa‑China Centre for Policy and Advisory.
