Guided by the Public Procurement Act of 2003 (Act 663) and its amendments, the Northern Region Development and Procurement Authority (NRDPA) is the regulatory body responsible for improving the governance of investment and foreign trade in the Northern Region of Ghana. Foreign trade refers to the buying and selling of goods and services between countries. Foreign investment refers to the purchase of assets, such as shares and real estate, in a foreign country by an individual or company.

The Northern Region Development & Procurement Authority (NRDPA) serves the entire Northern Region of Ghana districts. The districts include: Bole, Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo, Gushiegu, Karaga, Kumbungu, Mion, Nanton, Nanumba North, Nanumba South, Saboba, Savelugu/Nanton, Tamale Metropolitan, Tolon/Kumbungu, West Mamprusi, Yendi Municipal, and Zabzugu/Tatale. Additionally, there's East Gonja, West Gonja, and East Mamprusi.

The most populous region in northern Ghana is the Tamale Urban Area, home to the headquarters of the Northern Region Development & Procurement Authority (NRDPA). The Tamale Urban Area is not only the regional capital but also the third largest urban center in Ghana. Together, these areas constitute the Tamale urban and peri-urban areas, contributing to its high population density.

The Northern Region Development and Procurement Authority (NRDPA) was established in Ghana to develop local content in all its components across the national economy, improve and monitor government procurement, and achieve development and financial objectives, in line with national visions, strategies, and plans, and in compliance with the laws and regulations in force in the Republic of Ghana.

The Northern Region Development and Procurement Authority (NRDPA) works to ensure the successful procurement of goods from various countries and the development of regions in Ghana. Rural development aims to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of rural residents in the Northern Region of Ghana, areas that are often relatively isolated and sparsely populated. The Authority aims to lift millions of people out of poverty through economic development.

STRATEGIC GOALS:

Develop local content capable of meeting demand and achieving economic impact maximizing the benefit of government procurement and activating its role in economic development Contribute to achieving transparency and excellence in government procurement processes.

INITIATIVE FOR 2020 COVID-19 PANDEMIC:

A new exceptional initiative to mitigate the financial and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 205 national products, by providing an additional price premium of up to 20% (in addition to the 10% premium specified in the regulations) for national products identified on the initiative list, bringing the total price premium to a maximum of 30%. This premium is added to the prices of similar foreign products included in government tenders. The new initiative also provides special support for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), granting any medicine containing locally manufactured active ingredients an additional 10% price premium, regardless of the product's inclusion on the initiative list.

THE NEW INITIATIVE AIMS TO:

• Support Local Content and national products.
• Encourage national manufacturers to increase their Local Content.
• Reduce the economic and financial impact on the targeted sectors.
• Empower local capabilities by supporting the products targeted by the new initiative.
• Upgrade the national API manufacturing capabilities
• Legislative Framework Of The New Initiative

Local Content, SMEs, and Listed Companies’ Preference regulation granting local content, SMEs and publicly listed companies preference in government tenders. Article Ten: The national product is granted a price premium, by assuming the price of the foreign product 10% higher than indicated in the bid. The premium rate may be increased through an agreement between the Governing Council of Northern Region and the entire Ghana and the Center of Spending Efficiency, provided that the modified rate is explicitly stated in the tender documents.

THE PRODUCTS AND SECTORS TARGETED BY THE NEW INITIATIVE:

• 41 products in the medicine and pharmaceuticals sector.
• 134 products in the medical supplies sector.
• 30 products in other manufacturing sectors.
• Pharmaceutical products from nationally manufactured APIs.
• Increasing the 10% price premium indicated in the Local Content, SMEs, and Listed Companies’ Preference regulation, up to a maximum of 30% for 205 products, as per a preset criteria.

GOALS OF THE NEW INITIATIVE:

• Encourage national manufacturers to increase their Local Content.
• Support Local Content and national products.
• Reduce economic and financial impact on targeted sectors.
• Empower local capabilities through the products targeted by the initiative.
• Upgrade the national API manufacturing capabilities.

Targeted Sectors:

• Medicine and pharmaceuticals sector.
• Medical supplies sector.
• Other manufacturing sectors.
• Upgrade the national API manufacturing capabilities.

Ghana's mineral resources are dominated by gold, manganese, bauxite, and diamonds. While gold is the most significant, accounting for the majority of mineral revenue, Ghana also possesses reserves of iron ore, limestone, and other industrial minerals. Recent developments focus on lithium and other "critical minerals" for the green energy transition.

KEY MINERAL RESOURCES:

Gold:

Ghana is a major gold producer, with production exceeding 90% of the country's total mineral revenue.

Ghana surpassed US$5 billion in gold exports in the first half of 2025 alone more than the total for the entire year 2024. The latest statistics from the Ghana Chamber of Mines confirm that Ghana has reclaimed its position from South Africa as Africa’s largest gold producer. According to the chamber, the country’s gold production increased from 2.8 million ounces in 2021 to 3.7 million ounces in 2022 due to simultaneous growth in production from both large-scale and small-scale sectors. This represents a 32% increase in production in the gold sub-sector. Ghana lost its position as Africa’s largest gold producer to South Africa, as total production from large and small-scale producers declined from 4 million ounces in 2020 to 2.8 million.

NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA ANTICIPATED IMPACT:

Spending US$450 million to US$500 million within factories in the Northern Region of Ghana during implementation Supporting 205 products affected by COVID-19 Policy for Local Content, SMEs, and Listed Companies: The Local Content, SMEs, and Listed Companies Policy was formulated by the Northern Region Development and Procurement Authority (NRDPA) in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and approved through a Cabinet Regulation within the new Government Procurement Act. The inclusion of local and foreign content requirements in the new Government Procurement Act aims to enhance local capacity and products, and prioritize national products through a price premium policy. The Regulation includes a list of national products to be procured from national manufacturers and a list of mandatory national products. The NRDPA, in collaboration with the Expenditure Efficiency Center, will play a key role in identifying projects that must implement the minimum local content policy in the Northern Region of Ghana.