Part 7
Compliance in Ghana: what to check before you sell
FDA Ghana registration and labelling, as an example of what regulators ask of a packaged food.
Verify with the regulator
This section describes what FDA Ghana's own pages said when the module was prepared. Procedures, forms, fees and timelines change, and some older pages describe paper processes that have since moved online. Always confirm the current steps, forms and costs with FDA Ghana before you act.
The example here is Ghana. If you work in another country, the principles are similar, but the agency and requirements will differ. Look up your own country's food regulator and read its guidance first.
Registration comes before sale
Ghana's Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), says food must be registered with the Food and Drugs Authority before it is made for sale, distributed or sold. Packaged food sold commercially therefore needs FDA registration. The FDA runs an online system, G-FIRMS, for submitting and tracking applications.
What the FDA asks for
FDA Ghana's guidance for locally manufactured food lists items such as the following. Treat this as a checklist of things to ask about, because the exact set can change.
- The application form and a letter addressed to the FDA's Chief Executive Officer.
- A copy of your business registration certificate.
- A certificate of analysis for each product and each variant, from a laboratory the FDA accepts.
- Documents that support any health, nutrition or comparative claims you make on the label.
- Product samples as the FDA's sample schedule requires.
- Payment of the registration fee.
Each variant is its own registration
A certificate of analysis is needed for each product and variant. If your masterbrand has five variants, plan for five sets of testing and registration. Many businesses launch one variant first, build the brand, then add variants one at a time.
Support for small producers
FDA Ghana runs a Progressive Licensing Scheme that helps micro, cottage and small-scale producers formalise and meet standards step by step, with levels that lead up to full compliance. The Kosmos Innovation Center has also partnered with FDA Ghana to train and mentor food start-ups through certification. Ask both what they currently offer and how to apply. Also ask the FDA whether and when your premises will be inspected.
Labelling
FDA Ghana's general labelling requirements for pre-packaged food say that labels must include:
- The product name, with brand and generic names.
- Net weight or volume.
- A list of ingredients.
- Date of manufacture and best-before or use-by date.
- A batch or lot number.
- Country of origin.
- The manufacturer's name and full address. For local products this includes the exact premises location, such as a house or plot number or Ghana Post Digital Address.
- Directions for use and storage or handling instructions.
Labels must be in English, legible and printed in indelible ink. Nutrition information and any claim must be supported by documentary evidence, typically the laboratory certificate of analysis. Each variant needs its own label, with its own ingredient list, that matches its own recipe.
Exercise 7.1 · Prepare before your first commercial batch
- Find the FDA Ghana registration guidance and the G-FIRMS portal, and note which documents are current.
- Identify a laboratory that the FDA accepts for your product.
- Draft your label and check it against every labelling item above.
- Decide which variant you will launch first, and plan the order for the others.
- Contact FDA Ghana, and ask about current fees, timelines, inspection and the Progressive Licensing Scheme.
Sources for this part:
- Registration requirements for locally manufactured products — Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana
- Food registration (overview) — Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana
- Progressive Licensing Scheme — Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana
- General Labelling Requirements for Pre-Packaged Food — Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana
- KIC, FDA partner to support food innovation start-ups — Ghana News Agency