Dangote storms Ghana as President Mahama, GIPA’s Madjie lead Investment Summit on November 16-17, 2026

President John Dramani Mahama's declaration that Ghana is open for business will take centre stage as the country prepares to host more than 2,000 investors, business leaders, policymakers, diplomats and development partners at the maiden Invest Ghana Summit 2026.

The two-day summit, scheduled for November 16–17 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, will bring together local and international stakeholders to explore investment opportunities, facilitate business partnerships and connect investors with projects across Ghana's 16 regions.

Convened by the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) under the patronage of President Mahama, the summit comes as government intensifies efforts to attract investments that expand industrial production, create sustainable jobs, promote technology transfer and strengthen local supply chains.

The summit is under the theme, “Investing in Ghana's New Economy: Building a Productive Economy that Creates Value and Competes Globally,”. It seeks to shift the investment conversation beyond attracting capital to securing investments that strengthen businesses, expand production and create lasting economic value.

Mahama and Dangote to headline investment discussions

President Mahama will officially open the summit with a keynote address on “Championing Africa's Business Prospects through Investing in Ghana.” A major highlight will be a fireside conversation between the President and Aliko Dangote, Founder and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, on “Building Business Prosperity in Africa in Furtherance of the African Union's Agenda 2063.”

Mr Dangote will also deliver a special address on “Industrializing Africa: Building on African Ingenuity to Industrialize the Continent.” Their participation places industrialisation, African enterprise development and regional economic integration at the centre of the discussions.

The opening ceremony will also feature the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Madam Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, on Ghana's industrialisation agenda, and Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson on the economic outlook and government's New Economy Programme.

Completed investment mapping puts regional opportunities in focus

A major development ahead of the summit is GIPA's completed Investment Opportunities Mapping Project (IOMP), which identifies, documents and showcases investment opportunities across all 16 regions.

The project gives the Authority a structured basis for presenting Ghana's investment potential beyond established commercial centres and connecting regional opportunities with local and international capital. Its focus includes agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, infrastructure and other productive sectors.

For communities across Ghana, attracting investment can mean more than the establishment of new businesses. It can create markets for farmers, expand opportunities for local entrepreneurs, strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and provide employment for young people. Investment in agro-processing, for instance, can help farmers find reliable buyers for their produce, while access to capital and technology can help local manufacturers expand production and compete in wider markets.

The second day will focus particularly on regional prospects. The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Mahama Ayariga, is scheduled to address investment opportunities across the regions. Three regional investment deep-dive sessions, covering groups of five, five and six regions, will allow participants to examine opportunities and engage prospective investors.

AfCFTA: Positioning Ghana to serve Africa

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Investment Breakfast will feature a keynote address by Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Mr Wamkele Mene, on the theme “Produce in Ghana, Serve Africa.” The session will examine how Ghana can leverage its position as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat to attract investment into manufacturing, processing and export-oriented businesses.

The continental free trade arrangement offers businesses access to a wider African market, creating opportunities for Ghana to attract investors interested in producing locally and serving consumers across the continent.

From investment opportunities to actual deals

A defining feature of the summit will be its focus on deal-making. The Ghana Deal Room, Investor Facilitation Hub and Priority Investor Facilitation Clinic will provide platforms for engagement between investors, project promoters, financiers, technical partners and government institutions.

The programme also includes memorandum of understanding, investment agreements, partnership signings and investment announcements. Other sessions will examine fintech and the future of financial services, diaspora investment and the factors investors consider when assessing projects.

The fintech discussion will feature the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Mr Samuel Nartey George, and Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama. An investor reverse-pitch session will also give investors, development finance institutions, funds and banks an opportunity to outline the projects and businesses they are looking to support.

Madjie champions a new investment narrative

GIPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Simon Madjie says Ghana's investment drive must focus on building industries, adding value to local resources, strengthening Ghanaian enterprises, expanding exports and creating sustainable jobs.

Speaking at the summit's media launch, Mr Madjie said Ghana was at a pivotal moment as it pursued economic reforms, industrialisation and opportunities arising from the AfCFTA. He said the country's investment narrative must reflect its ambition to build a prosperous and self-reliant economy that contributes to Africa's economic transformation.

“This narrative must reflect not only the opportunities Ghana offers investors, but also our longstanding aspiration to build a prosperous and self-reliant economy that contributes meaningfully to Africa's economic transformation,” he said.

Mr Madjie is expected to present the summit's outcomes and next steps, outlining GIPA's approach to sustaining investor engagement and advancing partnerships established during the event.

The summit will be followed on November 18 by the 22nd Ghana Club 100 Awards at The Palms Convention Centre in Accra. Established in 1998, the awards recognise leading Ghanaian companies for corporate performance, innovation, growth and contribution to national economic development.

The awards complement the investment summit by showcasing domestic businesses that can serve as partners for international capital and contribute to employment and economic growth. Both events are being organised in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Free Zones Authority and Bank of Ghana, with support from public institutions and private-sector partners.

The success of the maiden Invest Ghana Summit will ultimately depend on what follows the two days of discussions. For Ghana, attracting investment must translate into expanded production, stronger local businesses, technology transfer, sustainable employment and opportunities across all 16 regions.

With the IOMP completed, GIPA has a foundation for presenting the country's regional investment potential. The summit offers an opportunity to connect those opportunities with investors capable of financing and developing viable projects.

For Simon Madjie and his team, the challenge will be to sustain investor interest and help move promising opportunities towards implementation. Ultimately, Ghana's open-for-business message will mean most when it is reflected not only in investment announcements, but in factories operating, businesses expanding, products reaching new markets and people finding decent employment.