Nestlé Ghana has expanded its Tema factory with a new evaporated milk production line, significantly increasing the company’s capacity to manufacture one of its major products locally.

The new line, commissioned by President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday, October 8, 2026, replaces a production line that had been in operation for more than 30 years.

The expansion will increase the factory’s annual evaporated milk production capacity from approximately 12,960 tonnes to nearly 30,000 tonnes.

The upgraded facility will undertake the filling, homogenisation, sterilisation and packaging of milk locally, with the processes carried out by Ghanaian workers.

President Mahama, who commissioned the facility, described the investment as an important demonstration of Ghana’s capacity to produce more of what it consumes and strengthen local manufacturing.

He said the expansion was also consistent with the government’s 24-hour economy initiative, which seeks to promote continuous production, increase industrial activity and create jobs.

The President urged Nestlé to leverage Ghana’s position as the headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand its reach into markets across the continent.

He said the expanded production line gives the company the capacity to increase its contribution to Ghana’s ambition of becoming a production hub for Africa.

President Mahama also stressed the importance of protecting local manufacturers from illicit imports and customs evasion, particularly as domestic production capacity increases.

The Nestlé Tema factory has been in operation since 1970 and produces a range of products for the Ghanaian market and export markets across Central and West Africa.

The expansion comes amid renewed industrial activity in Tema, which President Mahama says is gradually regaining its position as Ghana’s major industrial centre.

He cited developments including the expansion of the Tema Port, efforts to revive the Tema Oil Refinery and ongoing work to restore the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) as part of the industrial activity taking place in the enclave.

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, also highlighted growing investment activity in Ghana, saying foreign direct investment inflows increased from US$652 million in 2024 to US$2.62 billion in 2025.

She said the manufacturing sector recorded the highest number of new investment projects in 2025, with 99 projects, ahead of mining, oil and gas, and general trade.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana Limited, Salomé Azevedo, said the investment reflected the company’s confidence in Ghana and its long-term commitment to local manufacturing.

“Today is a proud moment for all of us—a milestone that reflects our deep confidence in Ghana, our enduring commitment to local manufacturing and our belief in the bright future of this country,” she said.

She said the expansion demonstrated that products made in Ghana could meet international standards and compete effectively in regional and global markets.

According to Ms Azevedo, the investment was ultimately about the people who depend on the company’s products, noting the important place evaporated milk occupies in the daily lives of Ghanaian families.

She said the project also represented the efforts of the employees who planned, installed and tested the new production line, as well as those responsible for operating it while maintaining safety and quality standards.

Ms Azevedo said Nestlé’s presence in Ghana dates back to 1957, the year the country gained independence, while the Tema factory was commissioned in 1971, with IDEAL Milk among the first products manufactured there.

She said the latest investment builds on that history and strengthens local value creation while creating opportunities across the company’s value chain.

“This investment builds on a legacy of shared progress, strengthens local value creation, creates opportunities across our value chain and reinforces Ghana’s position as a competitive manufacturing destination,” she said.

The Managing Director also highlighted Nestlé Ghana’s environmental initiatives, saying the Tema factory had achieved zero waste to landfill and operates on 100 per cent green energy.

She added that the company was working with partners to collect and recycle more plastic than it puts on the market, as part of efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.

The expansion of Nestlé’s Tema factory therefore adds to the growing push for increased domestic manufacturing, value addition and export-oriented production in Ghana.