From Kingston to Tema: Turning Mahama’s Jamaica directive into a trade corridor

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
Publication Date: August 21, 2026

President John Dramani Mahama’s recent visit to Jamaica has renewed attention on the economic possibilities linking Ghana and the Caribbean, but the real test, according to development and economic policy analyst Kay Cudjoe of Imani Africa, is whether the renewed political engagement can be converted into actual trade.

In an opinion article published by 3News and GhanaWeb, Cudjoe argues that President Mahama’s return from Kingston should not be remembered only as another moment of diplomatic engagement or a symbolic celebration of the historic relationship between Africa and the Caribbean.

Instead, he believes the visit has created an opportunity for Ghana to establish a practical commercial connection between Kingston, Jamaica, and Tema, Ghana — two strategically positioned ports that could serve as gateways between the Caribbean and West Africa.

The central question, therefore, is no longer simply whether Ghana and Jamaica share historical and cultural bonds.

It is whether those bonds can be transformed into ships carrying goods, businesses entering new markets, investment flowing in both directions and a sustainable trade relationship that benefits ordinary people.

From diplomacy to economic opportunity

The Ghana-Jamaica relationship carries considerable historical significance.

For decades, the two countries have maintained close cultural and political ties rooted in the history of the African diaspora and the shared experience of colonialism.

President Mahama’s latest engagement with Jamaica has sought to build on that relationship while placing greater emphasis on economic cooperation.

Cudjoe’s argument is that Ghana now needs to move beyond declarations of friendship and develop the infrastructure, policies and commercial arrangements required to make trade between the two regions easier.

That means identifying products that can be exchanged competitively, improving shipping connections, reducing logistical obstacles and creating mechanisms through which businesses in Ghana and Jamaica can actually find one another and transact.

‘We have two hubs’

At the heart of the argument is the strategic importance of the two ports.

Kingston is one of the Caribbean’s major maritime centres, while Tema serves as Ghana’s principal industrial and commercial port and an important gateway into Ghana and the wider West African market.

President Mahama, according to Cudjoe’s account, posed a question that captures the opportunity:

“We have two hubs. What is left is to connect the two hubs together?”

That question could become the foundation for a much broader trade strategy.

Connecting the two hubs would not necessarily mean establishing a single direct shipping service overnight. It would require coordination among governments, port authorities, shipping companies, freight forwarders, customs agencies, exporters, importers and financial institutions.

But the underlying idea is straightforward: if Kingston can serve as a gateway into the Caribbean and Tema as a gateway into West Africa, stronger connectivity between them could create a commercial bridge between two regions with longstanding historical ties.

Why Tema matters

Tema’s importance extends beyond Ghana’s borders.

The port is positioned to serve not only Ghanaian businesses but also companies seeking access to markets across the wider West African region.

With the African Continental Free Trade Area creating a framework for expanding intra-African commerce, Ghana has increasingly sought to position itself as a gateway into the continental market.

A stronger maritime connection with Jamaica could therefore give Caribbean businesses an additional entry point into Africa.

Likewise, Ghanaian companies could potentially use Jamaica as a gateway to markets in the Caribbean and, through established commercial networks, North America and other parts of the Americas.

The opportunity is therefore larger than bilateral Ghana-Jamaica trade alone.

What could Ghana export?

Turning the concept into reality will require identifying products for which there is genuine demand and a realistic commercial advantage.

Ghana has established export capabilities in areas including agricultural products, processed foods, cocoa and cocoa-derived products, manufactured goods and selected services.

The challenge is to move progressively from exporting primarily raw materials towards higher-value products that can generate greater income and employment.

Jamaica, meanwhile, has its own strengths in agriculture, tourism, creative industries, manufacturing and services.

A functioning trade corridor could therefore support not only the movement of physical goods but also investment, tourism, professional services, creative content and technology.

The emphasis, however, must be on commercial viability rather than simply moving goods for the sake of establishing a trade route.

The shipping question

One of the most practical obstacles is connectivity.

A trade corridor cannot succeed if businesses face unpredictable shipping schedules, high freight costs, lengthy transit times or complicated transshipment arrangements.

Current shipping information indicates that cargo moving from Kingston to Tema can involve transshipment, with available route estimates varying depending on the carrier and routing.

That makes the question of a commercially viable and reliable maritime connection particularly important.

For exporters and importers, consistency can be just as important as price.

A business will struggle to build a dependable supply chain if it cannot predict when its goods will leave the port, when they will arrive and how much the entire journey will cost.

The private sector must be brought into the conversation

Government-to-government agreements alone cannot create sustainable trade.

Businesses must ultimately determine whether the proposed corridor makes commercial sense.

Ghanaian exporters need reliable information about Jamaican markets, including consumer demand, product standards, tariffs, customs procedures and distribution networks.

Jamaican businesses, in turn, need similar information about Ghana and the wider West African market.

This is where chambers of commerce, trade associations, export promotion agencies, logistics companies and financial institutions can play a critical role.

A successful Kingston-Tema commercial relationship would therefore require a coordinated ecosystem rather than a single government directive.

From port connectivity to regional integration

There is also a broader strategic dimension to the proposal.

Ghana has positioned itself as an important participant in Africa’s continental integration project, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area.

If Ghana can strengthen its role as a logistics and commercial gateway, international partnerships could increasingly connect the country to markets outside Africa.

A stronger Ghana-Jamaica corridor could provide a tangible example of how Africa-Caribbean economic relations can move beyond historical solidarity towards modern commercial integration.

The symbolism remains important, but trade gives that symbolism an economic foundation.

The Caribbean-Africa relationship needs a commercial dimension

For many years, discussions about Africa and the Caribbean have focused heavily on shared history, culture, identity and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

Those issues remain important.

However, the relationship also has an economic dimension that has not been fully exploited.

Businesses in Africa and the Caribbean operate in markets that are geographically distant but potentially complementary.

Improving trade links could create opportunities for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, farmers, logistics companies, financial institutions and young people.

The challenge is finding practical areas where those opportunities can be converted into commercial transactions.

What must happen next?

If President Mahama’s directive is to become more than a political statement, several practical steps will be necessary.

First, Ghana and Jamaica would need to identify specific products and services with realistic export potential.

Second, the relevant port and shipping authorities would need to assess the viability of stronger maritime connectivity.

Third, governments would need to work on customs, standards, documentation and other regulatory barriers that can make international trade expensive.

Fourth, private-sector organisations should be brought into negotiations early enough to ensure that policies reflect actual business conditions.

And finally, both countries would need mechanisms for monitoring progress, measuring trade volumes and identifying obstacles as they emerge.

Without those practical steps, the Kingston-Tema idea risks remaining an attractive concept rather than becoming a functioning commercial corridor.

The opportunity beyond Jamaica

The significance of the proposal also extends beyond Jamaica.

If Ghana successfully establishes stronger commercial links with Jamaica, it could potentially provide a model for deeper economic engagement with other Caribbean states.

The same approach could eventually support broader connections between Ghanaian ports and Caribbean maritime hubs.

That would transform the relationship from one built primarily around diplomacy and cultural affinity into one supported by trade, investment and private-sector cooperation.

Turning the President’s question into action

The question President Mahama reportedly posed — how to connect two hubs — may ultimately be more important than the symbolism surrounding his visit.

Kingston and Tema already have strategic importance within their respective regions. The challenge is creating the commercial architecture that allows businesses to take advantage of that geographical positioning.

For Ghana, the opportunity is particularly significant.

A stronger Caribbean connection could diversify export markets, support Ghanaian businesses and reinforce the country’s ambition to serve as a gateway between Africa and the wider global economy.

But that will require more than presidential directives.

It will require businesses willing to trade, ports capable of handling the traffic, shipping lines willing to serve the route, financial institutions prepared to support transactions and governments committed to removing unnecessary barriers.

The journey from Kingston to Tema, therefore, is not simply about geography.

It is about whether Ghana and Jamaica can transform a shared history into a shared economic future.

As Cudjoe’s analysis suggests, the two hubs already exist. The real assignment now is to build the bridge between them.

GhanaianNewsCanada will continue to monitor Ghana’s efforts to deepen economic and trade relations with Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.