Ghana’s business outsourcing industry is seeking to expand beyond Accra and capture a larger share of the global services market, with industry players targeting 100,000 jobs by 2030.
The Business Outsourcing Services Association of Ghana (BOSAG) says the sector could help address the country’s growing employment challenge, particularly as more than 138,000 graduates enter the labour market each year.
The industry currently employs more than 20,000 young people, according to BOSAG, but remains a relatively small player in a global outsourcing and global business services market estimated at about US$1.5 trillion.
Africa accounts for only about 2.8 per cent of that market, suggesting significant room for Ghana to expand its presence in business process outsourcing and digital services.
The issues were discussed at the third Government-Industry Roundtable on Ghana’s outsourcing sector, where government officials, industry operators and development partners examined the sector’s potential under the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme.
Tamale emerges as new outsourcing hub
One of the clearest signs of the sector’s planned expansion outside the capital is eServices Africa Limited’s decision to establish a new delivery centre in Tamale in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The company intends to use the facility to serve clients in Francophone West Africa and the Sahel, potentially creating a new base for export-oriented digital services in Northern Ghana.
BOSAG Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer of eSAL, Kojo Hayford, said outsourcing jobs should increasingly be located outside Accra to allow young people in other parts of the country to participate in the digital economy.
The move is also being supported by GIZ through efforts to test the viability of outsourcing operations in Tamale.
Simon Hochstein, Head of Component, Business/Invest & Cluster Focus at GIZ’s Invest for Jobs programme, said secondary cities could become important outsourcing centres if investments in skills, infrastructure and local business ecosystems are sustained.
Infrastructure could determine the pace of growth
The industry’s expansion, however, will depend heavily on the availability of reliable infrastructure.
Participants identified stable electricity, high-speed internet, suitable office space and a skilled workforce as key requirements for attracting international outsourcing contracts.
The 24-Hour Economy Authority outlined planned interventions covering infrastructure, talent development, investment facilitation, energy and technology hubs.
Among the projects is the proposed Ogua Tech Park at the University of Cape Coast, which is expected to include a 3,000-seat business process outsourcing facility, training facilities, student accommodation and related infrastructure.
The authority has also pointed to the One Million Coders Programme and the National AI Strategy as potential sources of skills for the expanding digital services industry.
Turning training into employment
For the sector to make a meaningful contribution to employment, however, training must translate into jobs.
eSAL said it has trained more than 3,000 young people through its work-readiness programme, with women accounting for 55 per cent of participants. Many of those trained came from underserved communities or had previously experienced long periods of unemployment.
BOSAG argues that stronger links between skills programmes and actual industry demand will be necessary if Ghana is to convert its growing pool of graduates into an export-oriented workforce.
Government considers services exports
BOSAG has proposed SERVE24, a dedicated services-export component under the 24-Hour Economy framework, to give outsourcing and digital services a clearer position within Ghana’s export development strategy.
The association says the proposal could help coordinate investment in infrastructure, skills, incentives and international market development.
Augustus Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor to the 24-Hour Economy Authority, said outsourcing fits naturally into the 24-Hour Economy because companies can provide services to international clients across different time zones while their employees remain in Ghana.
He said the sector could therefore contribute to job creation, export earnings and economic activity without requiring workers to leave the country.
The government has indicated its willingness to work with BOSAG on the SERVE24 proposal and has also invited the association to participate in the development of the Ogua Tech Park.
For Ghana, the bigger opportunity lies in turning outsourcing from a relatively small employment sector into a significant services-export industry. Achieving that will depend on whether the country can provide reliable infrastructure, develop job-ready talent and help local operators compete for a larger share of the global market.
