President John Dramani Mahama has presented Ghana as one of Africa’s most attractive investment destinations, urging British and international investors to take advantage of the country’s improving economic conditions, political stability, and expanding opportunities across key sectors of the economy.
Speaking at the Ghana-UK Investment Summit in London, the President said the gathering was taking place at a crucial moment for both Ghana and the African continent as businesses around the world reassess supply chains, diversify investment destinations, and search for resilient growth markets amid changing global economic conditions.
He expressed appreciation to the organisers, including the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom, Invest Africa, and the UK Ghana Chamber of Commerce, for bringing together business leaders, investors, policymakers, and development partners to explore opportunities for deeper economic collaboration.
According to President Mahama, Ghana’s long-standing relationship with the United Kingdom is evolving beyond historical ties into stronger partnerships in trade, innovation, investment, education, and democratic governance.
He noted that bilateral trade between the two countries currently exceeds £1.5 billion annually but said the relationship has the potential to grow significantly through increased cooperation in manufacturing, technology infrastructure, agribusiness, renewable energy, financial services, pharmaceuticals, tourism, education, and the digital economy.
“This summit is therefore not simply a networking event. It is a platform for building long-term partnerships capable of delivering jobs, innovation, industrial growth, and shared prosperity”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
Economic Recovery Restores Investor Confidence
President Mahama told participants that his administration inherited significant economic challenges when it assumed office, including high inflation, weak investor confidence, debt pressures, and widespread uncertainty in the business environment.
He said the government responded through fiscal consolidation, institutional reforms, disciplined economic management, and improved coordination between monetary and fiscal authorities.
As a result, he noted, inflation has fallen sharply from 23.8 percent in December 2024 to 3.4 percent in April 2026, while international reserves have increased from approximately $8.9 billion to nearly $13.9 billion.
He added that interest rates are easing, the Ghana cedi has strengthened against major international currencies, and the country’s sovereign credit outlook has improved following recent ratings upgrades.
According to the President, these developments are creating a more predictable environment for businesses by reducing uncertainty, improving currency stability, and supporting long term planning.
He further disclosed that Ghana’s economy expanded by about six percent in 2025 and that the country’s gross domestic product has surpassed $114 billion, making it the eighth largest economy in Africa.
24 Hour Economy at the Centre of Growth Strategy
President Mahama said Ghana’s transformation agenda is anchored on building a productive, export oriented, industrialised, and technology driven economy capable of creating jobs and delivering competitive returns for investors.
Central to that vision, he explained, is the government’s flagship 24 Hour Economy initiative and Accelerated Export Development Programme.
Describing the policy as a national productivity strategy rather than a slogan, he said it seeks to maximise the use of infrastructure, industry, labour, logistics, sports, and energy systems throughout the day and night.
The initiative, he said, is expected to increase productivity, stimulate manufacturing, create jobs, boost exports, deepen regional trade, and improve competitiveness.
He noted that government is aligning infrastructure, financing, transportation, skills development, and energy reliability to support businesses operating beyond traditional working hours, creating investment opportunities in logistics, industrial parks, warehousing, transport, agro processing, manufacturing, information technology, retail, and energy.
Expanding Opportunities in Agriculture and Industry
The President identified agriculture as one of Ghana’s most promising investment sectors, highlighting the government’s Feed Ghana Programme as a major vehicle for modernising agriculture and expanding agribusiness.
He said efforts are underway to establish agro industrial enclaves, improve irrigation systems, support commercial farming, and expand food processing and agricultural exports.
Investment opportunities, he said, exist across cocoa processing, oil palm, cashew, shea, horticulture, poultry, rice production, fisheries, and cold chain logistics. In the industrial sector, President Mahama stressed the government’s commitment to value addition and moving Ghana higher up the global value chain.
“Our objective is simple. Ghana must become a production hub, not merely a source of raw commodities,” he stated. He said this strategy covers sectors including cocoa, gold, lithium, bauxite, manganese, pharmaceuticals, textiles, automotive assembly, and petrochemicals.
Technology, Energy and Infrastructure Drive
President Mahama highlighted significant opportunities in renewable energy, gas development, and climate resilient infrastructure.
He revealed that a memorandum of understanding signed with Tullow and the Jubilee Partners is expected to attract nearly $2 billion in investment for additional drilling activities to support Ghana’s energy sector. Government, he added, is also proceeding with plans for a second gas processing plant.
On digital transformation, the President pointed to the recently launched National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Million Coders Programme as part of efforts to position Ghana as a leading innovation and technology hub in Africa.
He said opportunities continue to expand in fintech, agritech, cybersecurity, data centres, health technology, and artificial intelligence driven services.
Infrastructure development also remains a priority under the government’s $10 billion five year Big Push Programme, which includes investments in roads, railways, ports, housing, transport corridors, and aviation infrastructure.
Ghana as Gateway to African Markets
President Mahama said Ghana offers investors more than access to a domestic market of over 34 million people. He described the country as a strategic gateway to the Economic Community of West African States market of more than 425 million people and the African Continental Free Trade Area, which serves over 1.4 billion consumers.
He also highlighted Ghana’s political stability, independent judiciary, predictable legal system, peaceful transfer of power, and strong democratic institutions as key advantages for investors.
The President noted that recent reforms, including the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Act, have strengthened investor protection, removed minimum capital requirements across several sectors, and reduced bureaucratic barriers to doing business.
Concluding his address at the Ghana-UK Investment Summit, President Mahama urged investors to move beyond discussions and pursue concrete partnerships with Ghana.
“To the international investors gathered here today, let me say this clearly: Ghana is open for business. We’re open to partnerships that create jobs, transfer technology, develop skills, support industrialisation, expand exports, and deliver sustainable growth”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
He added that his government remains ready to work with investors committed to long term partnerships that promote mutual growth and shared prosperity for Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the wider African continent.
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