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Water is essential for life, but for many in Ghana, it is also a source of livelihood. 

According to the Ghana Statistical Service, there are over 1.2 million street vendors in Ghana, with a significant portion involved in the sale of water in various forms, including sachet water and bottled water.

Rose Amoah, a street hawker, highlights the profitability despite competition: "We sell a pack of Bel Aqua for 25 Ghana Cedis. Each bottle sells for 3 Cedis 50 Pesewas, giving a profit of 15 Ghana Cedis per pack sold. In a day, I can sell up to 3 packs."

Adwoa Frimpong, another street hawker, notes the variability in sales: "On some days, you can sell fifteen packs, other days ten packs. It varies."

Despite occasional bargaining from customers, she manages to turn a profit of 70 to 100 Cedis per day.

Street Hawkers Thrive in Ghana's Water Market

With increasing urbanization and the constant demand for clean drinking water, various players in the supply chain contribute to ensuring that this vital resource reaches consumers.

Sachet water, commonly known as "pure water," is predominantly sold by petty traders.

It is estimated that around 70% of sachet water is distributed through street vendors and small-scale retailers.

The informal sector, including petty traders, contributes approximately 50% to Ghana's GDP.

Naa Lamley, a petty trader, benefits from both retail and wholesale aspects of the water trade. According to her, she is able to sell ten to twenty bags of water and one to five packs of bottled water at the wholesale business.

Each bag of sachet water, bought for 10 Cedis and sold for 15 Cedis, yields a profit of 5 Cedis.

Sachet Water, a Popular Choice among Ghanaians

In many urban areas of Ghana, tricycles (known as "pragya" or "aboboya") are commonly used for the distribution of water.

These tricycles are versatile and suitable for navigating congested urban streets and markets.

Dispatch drivers operating these tricycles can earn a significant income.

On average, a driver can sell between 300 to 600 sachets of water daily, with daily earnings ranging from GHS 300 to GHS 400, increasing during peak demand times like the dry season.

The wholesale water business is booming.

Frank Quasi, a wholesaler, confirms the lucrative nature of water. 

According to him, "You can make a day sale like two thousand. Mostly, when people buy, you can make a day sale of five thousand."

Wholesale Water Shops Ensure a Study Water Supply

Manufacturing water companies face pricing challenges due to production costs but employ strategies to remain profitable.

Sandra Sackey, a supervisor at Vine Water Company, shares their approach: "We use wheelbarrows and motorcycles for our distributions. At first, a bag of water was 5 Cedis. Now, it's 6 Cedis due to increased costs."

Exploring the water business in Ghana reveals its dual role as a vital resource and a lucrative economic venture.

The resilience and ingenuity of those involved in this trade highlight the importance of water as both a necessity and a profitable enterprise.

A Case Study in Accra

The bar chart illustrates the daily profits from the water trade for various interviewees in Ghana, particularly Accra. 

The data used in the chart is based on the interview responses, showcasing the earnings from selling sachet and bottled water.

The chart provides a visual representation of the varying levels of profitability among different participants in the water trade. 

Each bar corresponds to a different interviewee, and the height of the bar represents their total daily profit in Ghanaian Cedis (GHS).

Rose Amoah achieves a daily profit of 45 GHS. She sells up to 3 packs of bottled water each day, with each pack yielding a profit of 15 GHS.

 Each pack of bottled water is sold for 25 GHS, highlighting her ability to turn a reasonable profit despite the competitive market.

Adwoa Frimpong has a higher daily profit of 80 GHS. On average, she sells 10 packs of bottled water daily, with each pack providing a profit of 8 GHS. 

While her sales can vary, her consistent efforts in the water trade enable her to achieve significant daily earnings.

Naa Lamley, operating both as a petty trader and a wholesaler, shows the difference in profitability between retail and wholesale operations. 

In her petty trade, she sells 10 packs of sachet water daily, making a profit of 5 GHS per pack, resulting in a total daily profit of 50 GHS. 

In her wholesale business, she sells up to 20 packs daily, also with a profit of 5 GHS per pack, leading to a higher total daily profit of 100 GHS. 

This distinction highlights the scalability of her business and the increased profits from wholesale operations.

Frank Quasi stands out with the highest daily profit of 250 GHS. As a wholesaler, he manages to sell 50 packs daily, each with a profit of 5 GHS. 

His ability to handle significant sales volumes underscores the lucrative nature of the wholesale water business in Ghana.

This chart and its data highlight the diverse levels of profitability in the water trade, reflecting the varying scales of operation and market dynamics faced by different vendors and traders in Ghana. 

Each participant, from street vendors to wholesalers, plays a crucial role in ensuring that clean drinking water reaches consumers, demonstrating the economic potential of the water trade in the country.