As Ghana prepares to roll out its ambitious 24-Hour Economy initiative, the Head of Strategy and Programmes at the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, Abdul Nasser Alidu, has underscored the programme’s potential to serve as a catalyst for private sector growth, while carefully sidestepping additional pressure on public finances.
Mr. Alidu explained that the initiative is structured to create an enabling environment for private enterprises to thrive in a reimagined economic landscape that operates beyond traditional working hours.
“At its core, the 24-Hour Economy isn’t just about keeping lights on through the night, but about building a responsive macroeconomic system that allows the private sector to function at full capacity, with flexibility, support, and incentives to scale,” he said.
According to Mr. Alidu, the initiative is tailored to enhance productivity and employment by encouraging businesses to extend operations, introduce shift systems, and leverage digital tools in both urban and rural settings.
A critical component to its success, he noted, is smart financing, which is designed specifically to mobilise capital without swelling Ghana’s public debt.
“We’re pursuing financing models that don’t sit on the government’s balance sheet, this is intentional, especially considering our obligations under the ongoing IMF programme. Even after we exit that framework, fiscal space will remain constrained, and we cannot afford to return to unsustainable borrowing,” he said.
Instead, the Secretariat is actively designing mechanisms to crowd in private capital and development finance through blended finance models, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and catalytic funding for SMEs, particularly those in logistics, manufacturing, agribusiness, and ICT.
Mr. Alidu also reiterated that the government’s role would be one of facilitation rather than full-scale ownership. “We are focusing on energy reliability, labour policies, and security to allow private enterprises to operate profitably across the 24-hour cycle,” he added.
The initiative, a flagship campaign promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is being positioned as a long-term industrial transformation strategy.
