Ghana is taking steps to be Africa’s next major outsourcing and digital services hub, betting on a young workforce, policy reforms, and expanding digital infrastructure to attract global investment and create thousands of jobs.
Speaking at the High-Level Global Business Services Roundtable in London, Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation Minister Samuel Nartey George said the country is moving beyond discussions about its potential and is now focused on scaling its presence in the global digital economy.
“The question is no longer whether Ghana can compete but how swiftly we can scale,” George told investors, industry executives, and development partners gathered at the event.
The government is seeking to elevate business process outsourcing, IT-enabled services, and artificial intelligence support services into key export sectors, placing them alongside traditional foreign exchange earners such as cocoa, gold, and crude oil.
George said the strategy rests on three pillars: expanding digital public services, developing exportable digital products and services, and deepening integration into regional and international markets through frameworks including the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The minister said investments in Ghana’s digital backbone, including its national identification system, interoperable mobile money infrastructure, and online government service platforms, have created a foundation for a scalable services economy.
Ghana is promoting its workforce as a competitive advantage, with more than 100,000 graduates entering the labor market annually and a large pool of English-speaking professionals. Ghana’s location in the Greenwich Mean Time zone also enables businesses to provide real-time services to clients in the United Kingdom, Europe, and parts of North America.
George said political stability, a relatively predictable policy environment, and continued investments in fiber-optic networks and 4G and 5G connectivity strengthen Ghana’s appeal as a destination for global outsourcing firms.
A key component of the strategy is the role of Ghana Digital Centres Limited, which the minister described as the operational backbone of Ghana’s ambitions in the global business services sector. The state-backed entity is developing office infrastructure, workforce training programs, and investor support services aimed at accelerating the establishment of outsourcing operations.
“GDCL ensures that when an investor chooses Ghana, the infrastructure is ready, the talent is trained and operations can begin seamlessly,” George said.
The government is also implementing reforms across institutions, including the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Ghana Free Zones Authority, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Data Protection Commission, to improve the business environment and align regulatory standards with international requirements.
According to the minister, Ghana is strengthening data protection and cybersecurity regulations to support investment in higher-value digital services, including finance, healthcare, and insurance.
Global outsourcing companies including Concentrix and Teleperformance have already established operations in Ghana, while the government is seeking to attract additional multinational operators.
The administration also sees the sector as a major source of employment. George said a mid-sized outsourcing center can create as many as 1,000 jobs within 18 months, while larger facilities may generate up to 5,000 positions within three years.
“These are not low-end jobs,” he said. “They are roles in software development, customer experience, finance, and artificial intelligence, jobs that transform lives and create global career pathways.”
The London roundtable adds to Ghana’s broader campaign to attract investment into the digital economy, seeking to expand exports, diversify growth drivers, and establish itself as a key player in the global services value chain.
