The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the National Commission on Culture (NCC) have begun joint efforts to attract private investment into Ghana’s Cultural Infrastructure, with the proposed 5,000-seater Black Star Cultural Arena (BSCA) at Kawukudi in Accra as the flagship project.
The initiative forms part of the Government’s Black Star Experience program and is envisioned as a premier multi-purpose venue for concerts, festivals, conferences, exhibitions and international cultural events.
The collaboration was formalized during a courtesy call by the Director General of the NCC, Mr. Wakefield Wisdom Ackuaku, on the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Mr. Simon Madjie, at the Centre’s offices in Accra.
During the engagement centered on how Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and the NCC’s portfolio of assets can be packaged into viable, investment ready opportunities that will appeal to both local and foreign investors.
Mr. Ackuaku said the cultural sector has for too long been treated as a social good without adequate attention to its commercial potential. He noted that modern cultural infrastructure can create jobs, boost tourism, and support growth across the creative, hospitality and related service sectors.
“Cultural infrastructure is not just about entertainment. It is about jobs, tourism, and positioning Ghana as the cultural capital of Africa. The Black Star Cultural Arena will give us a world-class venue to host global events and showcase our music, dance, fashion and heritage to the world. He explained that the NCC is keen to work with GIPC to structure projects that are bankable, commercially sustainable, and aligned with national development goals.’’
Mr. Ackuaku
According to him, the Commission has identified several assets across the country that can be developed through public and private partnerships. Mr. Ackuaku added that Ghana’s creative industry, including music, film, fashion and the arts, already enjoys global recognition.
However, the lack of modern venues has limited the country’s ability to host large international events and retain the full economic value of the sector.
GIPC Pledges Technical and Promotional Support
The Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Mr. Simon Madjie, expressed the Centre’s readiness to support the NCC in developing structured investment opportunities and connecting them to potential investors through the Authority’s investment promotion platforms.
“GIPC is ready to support the NCC in structuring viable investment opportunities and connecting them with potential investors. We have the mandate, the tools, and the networks to promote Ghana as an investment destination, and the cultural and creative economy offers exciting possibilities.’’
Mr. Ackuaku
He noted that globally, culture and the creative economy are among the fastest growing sectors for investment, with significant returns in employment, exports and tourism receipts. Countries that have invested in cultural infrastructure, he said, have seen measurable benefits in city branding, visitor arrivals and youth employment.
Mr. Madjie added that GIPC will deploy its diaspora investment desk, international offices, and flagship events such as the Ghana Investment Forum to market cultural projects to investors in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.
The CEO also urged private sector players in real estate, construction, finance, and entertainment to consider culture as a viable area for investment with strong social and financial returns.
Details of the Black Star Cultural Arena
The Proposed Black Star Cultural Arena at Kawukudi is designed as a 5,000-seater multi-purpose facility.
Planners envision it as a venue capable of hosting large-scale concerts, international conferences, trade exhibitions, award shows, and cultural festivals throughout the year. Officials say the arena will address a critical gap in Ghana’s events infrastructure.
Currently, most large concerts and international conferences are held in hotel ballrooms, open parks, or the Accra International Conference Centre, which often lacks the specialized acoustics, lighting and backstage facilities required for global events.
Under the Black Star Experience initiative, the arena is expected to serve as a hub for showcasing Ghanaian creativity while also attracting international acts and events to Accra.
Stakeholders believe that with the right management model, the facility can operate year-round, drawing thousands of visitors and generating revenue for surrounding businesses in hospitality, transport, food services and retail.
Both GIPC and NCC officials emphasized the employment potential of the project. From the construction phase to operations, the arena is expected to create direct jobs in event management, security, technical production, ticketing, and facility maintenance.
Indirect jobs are also expected in tourism, hospitality, logistics, and the broader creative value chain, including artists, promoters, designers, and vendors.
Mr. Ackuaku said the arena could also be used to host national events such as Independence Day concerts, cultural festivals, and diaspora homecoming programs, which have become major drivers of visitor arrivals in recent years.
The GIPC-NCC engagement is expected to be the first in a series of collaborations aimed at unlocking investment in the cultural sector. The two institutions agreed to establish a joint technical working group.
The group will be tasked with identifying priority projects, conducting pre-feasibility assessments, preparing investor briefs, and developing business models for public-private partnerships.
Mr. Madjie said GIPC will also support the NCC to develop a pipeline of “investment-ready” cultural projects that meet international standards for due diligence and financial structuring.
This, he said, will make it easier to present the projects to institutional investors, development finance institutions, and diaspora investors. He added that the Centre will provide aftercare services to investors who commit to cultural projects, including regulatory facilitation and linkages to local suppliers.
A Shift in Investment Priorities
The focus on cultural infrastructure reflects a broader shift in Ghana’s investment promotion strategy. In recent years, government and GIPC have prioritized sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, technology, and infrastructure.
Officials now say culture deserves similar attention because of its capacity to create jobs quickly, earn foreign exchange, and project Ghana’s soft power globally.
Data from International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the United Nations shows that the global cultural and creative industries generate over $2 trillion annually and employ nearly 50 million people.
In Africa, countries like Nigeria, South Africa and Senegal have leveraged music, film and festivals to build export industries. Ghana, with its strong music and arts brand, is seen as well positioned to capture a larger share of that market with the right infrastructure and investment.
Mr. Ackuaku said the NCC will open its database of cultural assets, including regional cultural centres, museums, heritage sites and creative hubs, for packaging by GIPC.
He said it will provide regular updates on investor interest and the next steps for the Black Star Cultural Arena in the coming months. Mr. Madjie concluded that the GIPCs partnership with NCC demonstrates that investment promotion is no longer limited to traditional sectors.
And indicated that it would provide updates on investor interest and the next steps for the Black Star Cultural Arena in the coming months.
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