President John Dramani Mahama is positioning business regulatory reform at the centre of his administration’s economic strategy, as government moves to streamline bureaucratic processes, reduce the cost of doing business and improve Ghana’s attractiveness to investors.
Speaking at the launch of the CEOs Government Compact 2026 in Accra , Mahama said the reforms are aimed at “making the state work better for citizens and businesses” through greater transparency, reduced bureaucratic duplication, and faster service delivery.
The Ghanaian leader said the measures would help businesses scale operations, increase exports, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness.
“Government is ready to work hand-in-hand with the private sector to build a productive, competitive, and inclusive economy,” Mahama said, urging chief executives to expand investments in Ghana and create jobs.
The initiative comes as Ghana seeks to rebuild investor confidence and accelerate private sector growth following years of economic turbulence, currency pressures, and high inflation that strained businesses across multiple sectors.
Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare described the compact as a framework for accountability between government and the business community, adding that leadership, technology, and industrialization would be central to Ghana’s economic transformation agenda.
On technology, Ofosu-Adjare said digital connectivity was opening new opportunities for businesses beyond Ghana’s traditional commercial centers.
“A good product made in Tamale, Ho, Wa, Kumasi, or Accra can now reach markets across Ghana, Africa, and beyond,” she said.
The minister also called for a shift away from import dependence toward local manufacturing, agro-processing, and export-driven growth.
She said productive manufacturing, local content development, and export competitiveness were “immediate targets, not future aspirations.”
Ofosu-Adjare pledged the ministry’s support for reforms focused on competitiveness, digital trade, and export expansion.
The event brought together senior policymakers and business leaders, including Ernest De-Graft Egyir, founder and chief executive officer of the Chief Executives Network, and Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama.
The CEO’s Government Compact is expected to serve as a platform for dialogue between government and the private sector as Ghana pursues broader industrialization and trade reforms.
