HACO Opens West African Manufacturing Front With Ghana Deal

HACO Opens West African Manufacturing Front With Ghana Deal

HACO Industries Managing Director Mary Ann Musangi and Ayewa Aberfur Founder Dr. Nanayaa Bates sign a manufacturing and distribution agreement that will see HACO’s Amara lotion produced and distributed in Ghana, marking a major step in the Kenyan manufacturer’s expansion into West Africa.

By Jeff Oyugi

Nairobi - October 8, 2026

Kenyan consumer goods manufacturer HACO Industries has stepped up its pan African expansion strategy after signing a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Ghana based Ayewa Aberfur to produce and distribute its Amara lotion in Ghana.

The agreement marks a significant move by HACO to establish a manufacturing foothold in West Africa while bringing its skincare products closer to consumers in the region. The partnership is also expected to deepen regional supply chains and increase the share of value generated within Africa’s manufacturing ecosystem.

HACO Industries Kenya Limited, which has more than five decades of experience in developing products for African consumers, manufactures about 90 products spanning haircare, skincare, homecare and plastics. Its brands currently reach more than three million families across Africa, while the company works with more than 500 farmers on the continent to source raw materials.

The company said Ghana was selected as a strategic entry point into West Africa following extensive market research, with its economic potential, business environment and regional position identified as important factors behind the decision.

The partnership brings together HACO’s manufacturing and technical expertise with Ayewa Aberfur’s product development capabilities and understanding of the Ghanaian market.

The agreement was preceded by engagements between HACO Industries Managing Director Mary Ann Musangi and Ayewa Aberfur Founder Dr Nanayaa Bates, with the two companies combining expertise in manufacturing, product development, quality management and local market knowledge.

Under the arrangement, HACO will provide technical expertise, established product standards and manufacturing systems, while Ayewa Aberfur will contribute its experience in product development, manufacturing and knowledge of the Ghanaian market.

HACO will retain oversight of key formulations, quality standards and technical processes while supporting the technical capabilities required to produce Amara lotion locally.

The companies have already undertaken product validation, stability testing, operational reviews and technical training as part of preparations for production. They are also working to harmonise quality systems and introduce consistent standard operating procedures.

Regular technical reviews, audits, knowledge sharing and shared quality controls are expected to help maintain consistent product standards across the manufacturing locations.

For HACO, the Ghana agreement goes beyond expanding the market for Amara lotion. It forms part of a wider strategy aimed at developing manufacturing capacity closer to consumers and strengthening African value chains.

HACO Managing Director Mary Ann Musangi said the future of African manufacturing would depend increasingly on the ability of businesses to connect capabilities, markets and value chains across the continent.

“Our partnership with Ayewa Aberfur brings together technical expertise and local knowledge to establish a strong foundation for manufacturing Amara in Ghana, while creating opportunities to strengthen the African value chains that support our brands,” Musangi said.

The company said local production in Ghana would enable it to respond more effectively to consumer markets in West Africa while reducing the distance between manufacturing and customers.

The move is also expected to strengthen HACO’s broader West African manufacturing strategy by creating stronger regional supply chains and allowing the company to take advantage of opportunities presented by increased intra African trade.

The partnership comes at a time when African manufacturers are seeking to increase local production, strengthen regional value chains and reduce dependence on production systems that rely heavily on supplies from outside the continent.

HACO said its approach is anchored on African value creation and backward integration, with the company sourcing oils, butters and other raw materials from different parts of the continent.

By linking African producers with manufacturers and consumer markets, the company said it aims to build more resilient supply chains while retaining a greater share of the economic value generated through the production of its brands. 

The Ghana partnership also aligns with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area, particularly its emphasis on intra African trade, regional manufacturing and the movement of African made products across markets.

For consumers, local manufacturing could potentially bring products closer to West African markets while giving HACO an opportunity to deepen its understanding of regional preferences and demand.

However, the success of the expansion will depend on the partners’ ability to maintain consistent quality standards as production is decentralised. HACO’s continued oversight of formulations, technical processes, audits and quality controls is therefore expected to remain central to protecting the reputation of the Amara brand.

The agreement is part of an ambitious long term expansion programme by HACO. The company plans to extend its presence to 30 African countries by 2030 and establish five manufacturing hubs across the continent.

The expansion is anchored on HACO’s ambition to become Africa’s trusted brand of choice in beauty and wellness by the same year.

The Ghana operation is expected to provide an important foundation for that ambition by connecting African raw materials, manufacturing expertise and consumer markets within a broader regional production network.

As African economies seek to deepen trade under AfCFTA, HACO’s Ghana investment illustrates how established African manufacturers are increasingly looking beyond their home markets to build production networks across the continent.

For HACO, the immediate focus is Amara lotion and the Ghanaian market. But the wider objective is considerably larger, to build manufacturing capacity across Africa, strengthen regional supply chains and position African brands to compete more effectively in an increasingly integrated continental market.