Kofi Okyere Darko, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, has called for a shift from promoting creative talent to attracting investment into the creative sector, with the aim of positioning the country’s creative industries as a larger contributor to economic growth, exports and jobs.
Speaking at the Creative Economy Summit in Accra, Okyere Darko said the next phase of growth for Ghana’s creative sector depends on building sustainable businesses capable of attracting capital rather than relying solely on artistic recognition.
“The more useful conversation now is how we turn creativity into an organised economic sector,” Okyere Darko said. “It takes us beyond awards and recognition. It moves us into investment, intellectual property, financing, technology, exports and job creation.”
The comments add to Ghana’s broader effort to develop what industry experts describe as the “orange economy”, which includes industries such as film, music, fashion, digital media and cultural tourism, as governments across Africa seek new sources of growth beyond commodities.
Okyere Darko said discussions about the creative economy should no longer be limited to artists, arguing the sector now requires greater involvement from investors, financial institutions, technology companies and policymakers.
“The creative economy has reached a stage where it cannot be discussed by creatives alone,” he said. “It now requires the attention of business, government and investment institutions.”
A central pillar of the strategy is mobilising Ghana’s diaspora, which is viewed as a source of investment, expertise and international market access rather than only remittances.
According to Okyere Darko, Ghanaians abroad are leading production companies, technology firms, fashion businesses, media organisations and investment firms across global markets, creating opportunities to channel capital and industry knowledge back into the country.
“Diaspora engagement should not stop at reconnecting people with their heritage,” he said. “It must create pathways through which knowledge, partnerships and investment flow back into the country in practical ways.”
Okyere Darko added that stronger collaboration between government, private investors and creators would be essential if Ghana is to build globally competitive creative businesses.
He also urged industry players to embrace technological change, citing the evolution of digital music distribution from an initially unpopular model to one that now generates revenue through streaming platforms.
“Artificial intelligence, digital distribution, creative platforms and new financing models are changing the rules almost every year,” he said. “We have to be intentional to evolve to the changes that are happening around us.”
The summit brought together creators, investors, and development partners from Africa and the United States to discuss financing, storytelling, tourism, digital platforms and market access for the continent’s creative industries.
Okyere Darko said those areas should be viewed as interconnected parts of a single ecosystem, warning that weaknesses in financing or market access would continue to constrain the industry’s growth despite Africa’s widely recognised creative talent.
“We have spent a great deal of time proving that Ghanaians are very creative people,” he said. “The evidence already exists. The question now is whether our creative businesses are being built to last, whether they can attract capital and whether they can compete beyond our borders.”
