Ghana is intensifying efforts to attract foreign investment and strengthen industrial growth, as Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare held back-to-back meetings with the EU Ambassador, the British High Commissioner and the UNIDO Country Coordinator on Thursday. The engagements focused on expanding partnerships in trade, manufacturing, SME financing and industrial policy.
EU Ambassador Rune Skinnebach u sed his introductory visit to outline the European Union’s renewed focus on investment-led cooperation, highlighting the bloc’s €150 billion Global Gateway package for Africa. He said the initiative is designed to mobilise development financing and private capital for high-impact sectors, and urged Ghana to position itself competitively. He noted that the EU remains Ghana’s largest export market, donor and investor.
Ofosu-Adjare welcomed the commitment and reiterated Ghana’s efforts to support businesses, pointing to her interventions to ease constraints faced by exporters. She described herself as a “pro bono lawyer for industry” and cited recent cooperation with the Bank of Ghana that extended export proceeds repatriation timelines from 60 to 120 days. Both parties agreed to deepen engagement with the European business community to unlock new opportunities.
Talks with British High Commissioner Christian Rogg centred on unlocking more UK investment, improving SME financing and reviewing progress under the UK–Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement. Ofosu-Adjare underscored Ghana’s political stability and focus on job creation, stressing the need for grant support and accessible capital for micro, small and medium enterprises. She said that although training for SMEs has expanded, funding gaps remain a major constraint.
Rogg pointed to ongoing financing support from British International Investment, which manages facilities aimed at lowering capital costs and attracting private sector participation. He also requested updates on reforms to the GIPC Act, particularly the removal of minimum capital requirements for foreign investors. The Minister confirmed that the reforms have passed Cabinet and are undergoing stakeholder consultations. Rogg further proposed formalising economic cooperation under a new “Growth Partnership,” which Ofosu-Adjare welcomed.
In a separate meeting, UNIDO Country Coordinator Eric Gyenin briefed the Minister on the organisation’s upcoming participation in a major industrial conference in Saudi Arabia and a planned technical mission to Ghana. Ofosu-Adjare revisited her proposal for a 500–1,000 acre industrial park first discussed with Japanese investors and expressed interest in securing UNIDO’s support for assessments, feasibility studies, project structuring and investment promotion.
She requested that the organisation engage its headquarters to explore areas of deeper collaboration. Gyenin said UNIDO was ready to provide technical expertise, industrial diagnostics, policy support and global partnership facilitation to advance Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
The series of diplomatic and technical engagements underscores Ghana’s push to strengthen global partnerships, attract long-term investment and accelerate industrial and SME growth under Ofosu-Adjare’s leadership.
