Ghana is seeking deeper Japanese investment in cocoa value addition and strategic infrastructure as President John Dramani Mahama met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of TICAD9 in Yokohama.
Mahama invited Japanese firms to participate in a public–private partnership with the Cocoa Processing Company, highlighting the need to revamp Ghana’s cocoa processing capacity. With Ghana supplying about 70 percent of Japan’s cocoa imports, he stressed that local value addition would unlock higher export earnings and industrial jobs.
On infrastructure, Mahama pressed for increased Japanese support for the Volivo Bridge over the Volta Lake, a project designed to connect northern food production zones with southern markets. Japan has already committed JPY 11.239 billion in financing, signed in 2016, but Ghana is still seeking funding to close a 64 percent procurement gap. Mahama underscored that expedited delivery of the bridge was vital for moving yams, maize and other produce to ease food transport bottlenecks and boost regional trade.
Beyond trade and infrastructure, both sides reaffirmed their cultural and people-to-people ties. They noted two upcoming milestones: the centenary of Japanese bacteriologist Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s arrival in Ghana and the 50th anniversary of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) in 2027.
Japan reiterated its commitment to working with Ghana to address infrastructure funding challenges and confirmed collaboration on multilateral issues. Discussions also touched on Tokyo’s candidate, Masahiko Metoki, for Director General of the UPU International Bureau, and Japan’s positions on United Nations Security Council reform.
For Ghana, the talks reinforced Japan’s role as a long-term partner capable of supporting its industrialisation agenda. Mahama said concrete next steps must focus on “jobs, value addition, and connectivity” to strengthen growth and trade.
