The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC) to enhance the standardisation, safety and quality assurance of imported vehicles, particularly Chinese New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), and automotive components entering the Ghanaian market.
‎‎The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to ensure that imported vehicles and automotive products comply with applicable safety, quality, environmental and performance standards.
‎‎Under the MoU, the two institutions will collaborate in several key areas, including the harmonisation of automotive standards, recognition of conformity assessment procedures, verification of test reports and certificates, as well as joint activities in testing, inspection, certification, research and development.
‎‎The partnership will also focus on capacity building, technical cooperation and investment in automotive testing infrastructure in Ghana, aimed at strengthening the country’s regulatory and quality assurance framework for the automotive sector.
‎The landmark agreement was signed during the 2026 World Automobile Standards and Innovation Conference (WASIC 2026), held in Shenzhen, China, from 27 to 29 May 2026.
‎‎The collaboration is expected to facilitate greater cooperation between Ghana and China in the automotive industry while ensuring that vehicles imported into Ghana meet internationally recognised standards.
‎It also aligns with Ghana’s commitment to promoting road safety, environmental sustainability and consumer protection in the rapidly evolving automotive sector.
‎Officials say the partnership will contribute significantly to improving confidence in imported vehicles and automotive products, particularly as the adoption of New Energy Vehicles continues to grow globally.
‎The MoU marks another important step in the GSA’s efforts to strengthen standards compliance and support the development of a robust and sustainable automotive industry in Ghana.
