How to import from China to Ghana: cost, duty and timing
Buying from Alibaba, 1688 or a Chinese factory for Ghana: how to check a supplier, sea or air, the duty you pay, and how long it really takes.
By the Landed team · · 5 min read
Most of what Ghana buys, from tiles and solar panels to block machines and event chairs, is made in China. Buying at the source can cost far less than buying in Accra, but only if the supplier is real, the goods are right, and shipping and duty don't eat the saving. This guide walks through each step.
Where to buy: Alibaba, 1688 or the factory
- Alibaba.com is China's export marketplace. Sellers quote in US dollars, write in English and are used to shipping abroad. Many sellers who call themselves factories are trading companies, which is not always bad, but you should know who you are dealing with.
- 1688.com is China's home wholesale site. Prices are often lower than on Alibaba, but listings are in Chinese, sellers deliver only inside China and want payment in yuan. You need someone in China to buy, check and forward the goods for you.
- Straight from a factory works best for big or custom orders: machines, made-to-measure kitchen cabinets, branded packaging.
Whichever you use, the price on the listing is usually the factory price only. Delivery to the port, export, freight, Ghana duty, port charges and clearing all come on top.
How to check a supplier before you pay
Scams and poor quality cost buyers in Ghana more than shipping ever does. Before you send money:
- Ask for a live video of the exact item, with today's date written on paper beside it. A catalogue video proves nothing.
- Check how long the store has traded and read reviews from buyers in Africa, not only the star rating.
- Get the full specification in writing: size, material, what comes in the box, the warranty, and the power supply. Ghana's mains is 230 volts at 50 Hz, so electrical goods must match it.
- Order a sample of anything you plan to buy many of.
- Never pay a personal account. Pay the company named on the listing or contract, through the platform when you can.
- Ask for photos before the goods leave: the items, the packing and the shipping marks on the boxes.
Sea or air?
| Sea | Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Heavy or bulky goods: machines, tiles, furniture, solar panels | Small, light or urgent items: phone parts, samples, small electronics |
| Charged by | Space, in cubic metres (CBM) | Weight, or the box's size when that works out more |
| Journey | About 30 to 45 days by sea from Shanghai to Tema | A few days in the air |
| Watch out for | Waiting for a sailing, port charges at Tema | Cost climbs fast for anything big |
Most people ordering a few items don't fill a container. They ship LCL (less than container load): your goods share a container with other buyers' goods and you pay for the space you use. A full 20-foot or 40-foot container (FCL) only makes sense once you have roughly a container's worth.
The sailing is only part of the wait. Add the time for the supplier to make or pack the goods, truck them to the port, wait for the next ship, and clear customs at Tema. That is why, as of 2 November 2026, our sea orders take 45 to 90 days from purchase to arrival in Accra: we count the whole journey, not just the days at sea.
Duty and taxes in Ghana
Ghana charges import duty under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff. Every product has an HS code, and the code sets the duty rate: 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% or 35%. Duty is worked out on the CIF value: what you paid for the goods, plus insurance and freight to Ghana.
On top of duty, imports pay VAT and levies, including the NHIL and the GETFund levy, among other charges collected by the Ghana Revenue Authority. The rates and the list of levies have changed several times in recent years, and guides online often disagree with each other. Treat any figure you read, including the bands above, as a starting point, and check the current rates with the Ghana Revenue Authority before you budget.
Two mistakes push the bill up:
- An invoice that is too low. Customs can reject a value that looks wrong and set its own. A fake invoice to "save duty" usually costs more in the end.
- The wrong HS code. Ask a licensed customs broker which code applies before you buy, especially for machines, vehicles and anything unusual.
Some goods also need approval before they arrive, such as food, cosmetics and medicines. Ask before you order, not after the goods are sitting at Tema.
What it really costs
Your real cost to Accra is the sum of:
- The factory price.
- Delivery inside China to the port or the forwarder's warehouse.
- Sea or air freight to Ghana.
- Duty, VAT and levies.
- Port, handling and clearing charges in Ghana.
- Delivery from the port to you.
Many first-time importers compare only the first line with an Accra shop price, and get a surprise at the port. Add every line before you decide whether the saving is real.
Or let us do it for you
Landed buys from the Chinese factory or the US store for you, and gives you one all-in price in writing: the item, pickup from the seller, shipping, duty and clearing, and our service. The price is locked once your deposit is in, so if the cedi moves, that is our problem, not yours. You follow every step on your tracker, with receipt, packing and arrival photos, and collect in Accra.
- See what Ghana orders most from China: machines, solar and power, building and construction and events and catering.
- Found something on Alibaba or 1688? Paste the link and get your price.
- Already have your own suppliers? Get a code for our China warehouse: they deliver there, and we ship it, clear it and hand it over in Accra.
- Buying from America instead? Read shipping from the USA to Ghana.
