Dr. Akwasi Opong-Fosu On Ghana’s Next Investment Chapter

By Ajong Mbapndah L

Under the dynamic leadership of Hon. Dr. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana is reimagining its investment narrative — from a resource-driven economy to a resilient, innovation-led hub powered by President John Dramani Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy and The Big PUSH Initiative. With these twin pillars, Ghana seeks to unleash round-the-clock productivity, catalyze infrastructure modernization, and harness its AfCFTA advantage to become Africa’s most competitive and inclusive investment destination.

In this exclusive Pan African Visions interview, Dr. Opong-Fosu outlines how GIPC is translating this bold national vision into reality — from regional investment roadshows and diaspora engagement desks to green financing and digital one-stop reforms — positioning Ghana not just as open for business, but ready for partnership in the continent’s next growth chapter.

 As Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, what is your overarching vision for positioning Ghana as the preferred investment destination in Africa?

H.E. President John Dramani Mahama’s vision is to position Ghana as Africa’s most competitive, inclusive, and innovation-driven investment hub, anchored on two transformative pillars — the 24-Hour Economy and The Big PUSH initiative.

The 24-Hour Economy is designed to unlock continuous productivity, optimize infrastructure utilization, and expand employment opportunities across sectors, while The Big PUSH seeks to accelerate industrialization, infrastructure modernization, and digital transformation through targeted, high-impact investments.

As Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), my mandate is to translate this national vision into reality by realigning the Centre’s mandate to attract, facilitate, and sustain investments that drive inclusive and sustainable growth.

To operationalize this, we have strengthened three flagship initiatives:

1. The Regional Investment Roadshow – to decentralize investment promotion, showcase the unique opportunities in each region, and ensure balanced territorial development.

2. The Diaspora Investment Desk – to connect the global Ghanaian community with credible domestic ventures and facilitate diaspora-led capital inflows.

3. The AfCFTA Desk – to leverage Ghana’s role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat and position the country as the gateway for regional and global investors seeking access to Africa’s 1.3 billion consumer market.

These initiatives complement GIPC’s renewed mission of creating a responsive, transparent, and investor-friendly environment in support of President Mahama’s broader transformation agenda.

You’ve had a long career in governance and public policy. How are those experiences shaping your leadership at GIPC today?

My background in governance, decentralization, and public sector reform has reinforced my belief that policy coherence, institutional alignment, and ethical leadership are the bedrock of development.

At GIPC, we are applying these principles to strengthen coordination among key investment-related agencies so that investors experience a seamless, efficient, and predictable process — essential for a 24-hour economy.

Good governance ensures that investor confidence is not built on incentives alone, but on trust, accountability, and continuity of policy. We are institutionalizing performance culture within the Centre, focusing on outcomes rather than bureaucracy. This approach ensures that GIPC becomes not just a facilitator but a strategic driver of national transformation under The Big PUSH framework.

What are the key pillars of your strategy to attract and retain sustainable investments in Ghana’s evolving economic landscape?

Our strategy is anchored on five key pillars:

1. Infrastructure and Industrial Transformation (The Big PUSH) – driving large-scale investment into energy, logistics, transport, housing, and digital infrastructure to underpin industrial and 24-hour economic activity.

2. Ease of Doing Business and Investor Aftercare – simplifying procedures, digitizing services, and ensuring responsive engagement with investors.

3. Sector Diversification – promoting growth sectors such as agribusiness, renewable energy, technology, and manufacturing to reduce overreliance on commodities.

4. Local Enterprise Empowerment – ensuring that foreign direct investment (FDI) translates into domestic capacity-building, job creation, and skills development.

5. Sustainability and Green Investment – encouraging responsible investments aligned with Ghana’s climate goals and environmental standards.

Ghana is pushing toward economic diversification beyond commodities. Which sectors do you see as the most promising for driving the next phase of growth and job creation?

We see strong potential in value-added manufacturing, agro-processing, and digital services. The 24-hour economy’s focus on productivity across all time zones gives new relevance to logistics, e-commerce, healthcare, tourism, and the creative industries, all of which can thrive in a continuous-operation model.

The Big PUSH will also unlock opportunities in renewable energy, industrial parks, and transport infrastructure, catalyzing sustainable job creation and regional development.

What specific reforms or policy frameworks are being advanced under your chairmanship to improve the ease of doing business in Ghana?

We are implementing a GIPC Business Reform Action Plan that focuses on:

• Digital one-stop service delivery, providing real-time investor support 24 hours a day.

• Simplified registration and licensing through inter-agency digital integration.

• Transparent incentive frameworks to eliminate ambiguity and ensure fairness.

• Investor Protection Mechanisms, including dispute resolution and aftercare systems.

This reform agenda reflects the efficiency and responsiveness expected of a 24-hour economy, where time, transparency, and technology are competitive advantages.

How is GIPC balancing the drive for foreign direct investment with the need to empower local enterprises and ensure inclusive development?

We are promoting strategic partnerships and joint ventures between foreign investors and local enterprises. Every major investment we facilitate must create measurable local value chains, ensuring that FDI strengthens domestic industry rather than replaces it.

Our Ghanaian Enterprise Support Desk connects local MSMEs with global investors, helping them scale up and integrate into supply networks. This inclusive approach is central to the 24-hour economy and ensures that growth is broad-based, equitable, and nationally owned.

With increasing competition for investment across Africa, how does Ghana differentiate itself from peer economies like Kenya, Rwanda, and Côte d’Ivoire?

Ghana’s comparative advantage lies in its stability, predictability, and strategic location. We offer a peaceful democratic environment, skilled labour force, and regional market access under the AfCFTA framework.

Through The Big PUSH, we are expanding infrastructure and energy systems to support large-scale industrial operations. The 24-hour economy, in particular, offers investors the ability to operate with flexibility, efficiency, and round-the-clock service continuity, giving Ghana a competitive edge in manufacturing, logistics, and digital trade.

How is the GIPC leveraging Ghana’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to position the country as a hub for regional and global investors?

Through our dedicated AfCFTA Desk, we are promoting Ghana-based production hubs that can serve the entire African market tariff-free.

This includes supporting AfCFTA-aligned industrial parks, logistics corridors, and export facilitation centers.

Our objective is to make Ghana the natural base for multinational operations, where goods and services can be produced competitively and distributed across the continent — seamlessly operating within the 24-hour economic model.

 What role do partnerships with international development finance institutions and the diaspora play in Ghana’s investment mobilization strategy?

Partnerships are at the heart of The Big PUSH financing model. We are deepening collaboration with multilateral partners like the World Bank, AfDB, IFC, and private equity firms to mobilize capital for large-scale projects.

Simultaneously, the Diaspora Investment Desk at GIPC serves as a one-stop platform for Ghanaians abroad to invest confidently in priority sectors. We see the diaspora not just as a source of remittances, but as strategic investors and co-creators of Ghana’s 24-hour economy — bringing capital, innovation, and global linkages.

Good governance and regulatory predictability are key to investor confidence. What measures are being taken to strengthen transparency and accountability in Ghana’s investment ecosystem?

We are institutionalizing Investor Charter Standards to define service timelines, accountability, and performance metrics for all GIPC processes. In collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Department, we are enhancing investment arbitration and dispute resolution frameworks to protect investors’ rights.

Additionally, we publish annual Investment Impact Reports, tracking the social and economic contributions of FDI. Transparency and accountability are not just governance principles — they are economic assets in a 24-hour economy that thrives on trust and predictability.

In the context of climate change and global sustainability goals, how is GIPC promoting green and responsible investments that align with Ghana’s environmental commitments?

We have established a Green Investment and Sustainability Desk to attract climate-friendly investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and waste management.

This initiative aligns with Ghana’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and supports energy efficiency within the 24-hour economic framework.

We are also working with global partners to develop green finance instruments that de-risk environmentally sustainable projects while creating new opportunities for private capital participation.

As you look toward the future, what legacy do you hope to leave at GIPC — and what message would you send to investors looking at Ghana in 2025 and beyond?

I want to leave behind a modern, credible, and investor-centric institution that has helped Ghana achieve President Mahama’s vision of a resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven economy.

Through The Big PUSH, we are laying the physical foundations; through the 24-hour economy, we are optimizing national productivity; and through GIPC’s initiatives — particularly the Regional Roadshow, Diaspora Desk, and AfCFTA Desk — we are institutionalizing sustainable investor engagement.

My message to investors is simple: Ghana is not just open for business — Ghana is ready for partnership. We invite you to be part of an economy that is active around the clock, driven by purpose, powered by people, and guided by strong leadership.

*Culled from November Issue of PAV Magazine .