Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has called on Japanese investors to deepen their engagement with Ghana, positioning the country as the strategic gateway to West Africa and the wider African continent.
Speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum in Yokohama, held on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), Ofosu-Adjare highlighted Ghana’s stability, resource endowment, and commitment to industrial transformation as key incentives for Japanese firms seeking opportunities in Africa.
She noted that Japan’s traditional role as a development partner is shifting toward stronger trade and investment relations, with companies increasingly looking to secure resources and build industrial partnerships on the continent. “By combining Japan’s advanced technology and capital with Ghana’s resource base and policy commitment to value addition, we can move beyond extraction to build integrated value chains and sustainable industries,” she said.
The minister underscored the role of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) in showcasing bankable opportunities and promoting Ghana as a hub for trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Over the years, Japan has supported Ghana in infrastructure, energy and human capacity development, with projects ranging from major road interchanges to power sector initiatives. Ofosu-Adjare said the new phase of engagement offers scope for joint ventures, industrial clusters, and supply chains that can combine Ghanaian resilience with Japanese innovation.
The government, she added, is committed to creating an enabling environment for foreign investment through targeted policies and initiatives under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration. Key sectors earmarked for partnership include agribusiness, manufacturing, renewable energy and infrastructure.
The forum, is expected to strengthen Ghana-Japan economic cooperation and attract long-term capital into priority sectors.
