Over 100 Japanese firms took part in an elite Presidential Investment Conference hosted by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in Yokohama, Japan.

The event took place during the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9), with the topic “Ghana Is Ready for Business – Unlocking Investment Prospects for Mutual Growth.”

Collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), this initiative also functioned as an important venue for strengthening economic ties between Ghana and Japan.
Co-organized alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), it further acted as a key mechanism to enhance economic cooperation between Ghana and Japan.
Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the event provided a crucial opportunity to strengthen bilateral trade relationships between Ghana and Japan.

It included a key speech delivered by President John Dramani Mahama, who made an attractive argument for Japanese companies to view Ghana as their entry point into West Africa and the broader African region.

“GHANA serves as a reliable, democratic, and business-oriented entry point to West Africa,” said President Mahama, emphasizing the nation’s advantageous position, economic steadiness, and continuous efforts aimed at enhancing the simplicity of conducting business.

President Mahama also outlined various specific pledges aimed at promoting Japanese investments, such as expedited approval processes, pre-prepared industrial zones, state-backed assurances, and combined financial structures.

He further urged Japanese companies to pledge to local content and technology sharing agreements aimed at training Ghanaians in both technical roles and management positions, stating, “My three demands are straightforward: pilot with us, collaborate for growth, and invest in human capital.”

Presenting a strategic investment proposal to Japanese firms, Mr. Simon Madjie, CEO of GIPC, highlighted Ghana’s key strengths influencing its business environment: the Big Push Initiative; and the 24-Hour Economy and Fast-Tracked Export Growth Program (24H+).

Mr. Madjie highlighted Ghana’s dedication to developing a strong, accessible, and internationally competitive economic system, noting that the 24H+ initiative aims to expand commercial activities past regular working times, enhancing efficiency, employment opportunities, and availability of markets.

“investors were promised financial benefits like tax refunds, import exemptions, and export rewards to assist companies functioning under this system once it becomes effective,” he stated.

In addition to this initiative, he mentioned the Big Push Agenda, a $10 billion program for infrastructure development designed to bridge Ghana’s infrastructure deficit and boost economic competitiveness, concentrating on key areas like transportation, logistics, water supply, farming, and power generation.

During his speech, Mr. Madjie outlined numerous financial and non-financial rewards accessible to investors, such as corporate tax breaks for activities related to agricultural processing, production, and green power, reduced taxes for companies located beyond Accra and Tema, exemption from import duties on machines and tools, advantages offered in special economic zones, support for exports along with assurances against seizure of assets, and complete freedom to send earnings back overseas.

He also emphasized key initiatives, including the Volta Economic Corridor, Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park, and Kumasi Machinery & Technology Park, as prepared opportunities for investment.

Mr. Madjie additionally encouraged Japanese investors to examine possibilities within the automobile and electric vehicle production sectors, agricultural industrial zones and food processing industries, sustainable energy and power network developments, medicine and health care services, information technology sector and advanced manufacturing, along with travel, culture, and preservation of historical sites.

The speech received high praise from attendees for being clear, strategically relevant, and offering practical takeaways. Multiple Japanese companies showed enthusiasm about starting preliminary research and trial initiatives in Ghana, indicating a fresh surge in economic collaboration between Ghana and Japan.

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