Ghana is pressing for stronger economic collaboration with Japan, with Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Sampson Ahi calling on Japanese businesses to seize opportunities in the country’s stable investment climate and expanding industrial base.
Speaking at the Ghana–Japan Business Forum held at the Ghana EXIM Bank in Accra, Ahi underscored the event’s practical focus. “The Forum is not a ceremony. It is a working meeting. The purpose is clear: to promote trade, attract investment, and strengthen business relations between Ghana and Japan. That is why we must measure success by what happens after this session partnerships formed, projects shaped, and follow-up actions agreed,” he said.
Ahi also cited Ghana’s comparative advantages in stability, enterprise, and a youthful workforce. “Ghana values its relationship with Japan. We respect what Japan represents discipline, quality, innovation, and long-term thinking. Ghana also has its own strengths, stability, enterprise, and a young workforce that is ready to learn, work, and produce. When those strengths are put together, the result is not just trade in raw materials. The result is value addition, jobs, and strong businesses that can compete,” he added.
On investment conditions, Ahi stressed predictability and infrastructure as key to attracting capital. “Investors do not only look for incentives; they look for certainty. They want clear rules, predictable timelines, reliable infrastructure, and institutions that coordinate. That is the kind of environment we are working to build because it is what serious investment requires. Ghana’s direction is therefore straightforward: we want to industrialize, diversify exports, modernize agribusiness, strengthen logistics, deepen digital adoption, and expand Special Economic Zones and industrial parks that support production.”
He outlined three priority areas for Ghana–Japan cooperation, “First: industrial platforms and export-oriented manufacturing. Second. manufacturing value chains and industrial inputs. Third: logistics, trade facilitation, and standards. These are areas where partnerships can create real value for both countries and generate jobs and skills for Ghanaians.”
Japan’s Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, commended Ghana’s economic reforms and democratic governance, describing the country as a reliable partner for Japanese investors. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting technology transfer, infrastructure development, and industrial capacity building.
Japan’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Kunimistu Ayano, emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration. She noted that such partnerships would translate diplomatic relations into tangible economic outcomes, highlighting Japan’s interest in projects that enhance industrial development, sustainable energy, and logistics capacity.
A statement delivered on behalf of Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, stressed the role of economic diplomacy in advancing national development, aligning the forum with Ghana’s foreign policy objectives of attracting trade, investment, and sustainable growth.
The CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre(GIPC), Simon Madjie, assured investors of Ghana’s regulatory framework and aftercare services. He added that “these and many more tangible government including the 24 hour economic policy framework makes Ghana the most attractive investment destination in the sub region as it is currently the second largest economy in West Africa.”
The AfCFTA Secretariat, in a statement read on behalf of its Secretary-General, encouraged Japanese businesses to view Ghana as a gateway to the wider African market.
The forum featured intensive dialogue, networking, and business-to-business engagements across sectors including agribusiness, industrialization, energy, transport infrastructure, and digital communications. Several Japanese investors expressed interest in partnerships and joint ventures, signaling a promising pipeline of investment opportunities that could support Ghana’s industrial and economic transformation.
