The future of Ghana’s 24-hour economy programme is coming into focus ahead of the 2027 Budget presentation, with questions emerging about how it will fit into the government’s proposed New Economy programme.
Even before the budget is read, there are concerns about whether the two initiatives will operate independently or under a unified industrialisation strategy.
Data and policy analyst Alfred Appiah believes the government must use the upcoming budget to clarify the relationship between the two programmes, particularly their institutional arrangements, implementation targets and accountability framework.
Alfred Appiah’s concerns follow the marked differences between the original campaign promise of the 24-hour economy and the broader programme eventually introduced by the government, raising questions about how the initiative will evolve under the emerging New Economy agenda.
In a commentary ahead of the 2027 Budget presentation, the analyst explained that the original campaign proposition centred largely on creating employment through a three-shift system, with businesses receiving incentives such as cheaper electricity at night and tax breaks to operate around the clock.
However, the 24-hour economy strategy launched in July 2025 has evolved into a much broader programme, comprising eight sub-programmes covering agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, financing, tourism and creative arts, logistics, skills development and governance.
It also incorporates economic corridors, industrial parks and supply-chain development, making shift-based employment only one component of a wider economic transformation agenda.
Overlapping priorities raise coordination questions
Alfred Appiah noted that several sectors identified under the 24-hour economy strategy also feature prominently in the government’s New Economy agenda, including agriculture, energy, textiles, pharmaceuticals and tourism.
This overlap, he argues, makes it important for government to explain how the two initiatives will relate to each other, particularly as the New Economy programme is expected to receive significant funding attention under the 2027 Budget.
With the New Economy programme carrying a proposed GH¢10 billion commitment, the question is whether the 24-hour economy will become part of this broader initiative or continue operating as a separate programme.
Who will drive implementation?
Beyond funding, the analysts also wants clarity on the institutional arrangements for delivering the government’s economic transformation agenda.
He specifically questioned whether the 24-Hour Economy Authority will be responsible for implementing the broader New Economy programme and whether government intends to establish a single set of targets against which progress can be measured.
For him, the budget presents an important opportunity to clarify these issues and prevent overlapping programmes, fragmented implementation and difficulties in tracking results.
The concern is not simply whether Ghana pursues a 24-hour economy or a New Economy programme, but whether the two can be coordinated into a coherent strategy that delivers measurable investments, businesses, jobs and industrial growth.
