Ghana has launched a new initiative to position its diaspora as a strategic source of investment capital, seeking to channel the financial resources, professional expertise and business networks of Ghanaians abroad into the country’s long-term economic transformation.
The initiative, dubbed “Region 17,” was launched in Washington, D.C., under the theme “Harnessing the Power of the Diaspora to Transform Ghana’s Future.” It aims to give institutional expression to the long-held recognition of the Ghanaian diaspora as the country’s unofficial 17th region by creating a structured platform through which overseas Ghanaians can contribute more directly to national development.
The launch comes as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has intensified efforts to deepen engagement with Ghanaians abroad, not only to strengthen diplomatic ties but also to unlock new sources of private investment for the domestic economy.
Speaking at the event, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, joined members of the Ghanaian diaspora, business leaders, professionals and policymakers to unveil what was described as a platform designed to mobilise the diaspora’s “intellectual, professional, entrepreneurial, financial and cultural resources” for national development.
According to the embassy, Region 17 seeks to provide “institutional expression to the vision of recognizing the Ghanaian diaspora as an integral part of Ghana’s development story” while creating “a structured platform through which Ghanaians abroad can contribute to the country’s economic transformation.”
For Ghana, the initiative represents an attempt to build on the country’s rapidly growing remittance inflows by encouraging overseas Ghanaians to become investors, entrepreneurs and long-term development partners.
The country received a record US$7.8 billion in remittances in 2025, with the United States and the United Kingdom championing the gains. The inflows have become one of Ghana’s largest sources of foreign exchange, surpassing foreign direct investment and highlighting the growing economic significance of the diaspora.
President John Dramani Mahama recently described the diaspora as Ghana’s “17th region,” noting that its economic contribution rivals that of many physical regions of the country.
“We have 16 physical regions in Ghana, but we have one virtual region, which is our diaspora abroad,” the President said during a town hall meeting with Ghanaians in the United Kingdom, adding that the record remittance inflows demonstrated why overseas Ghanaians deserved recognition as an integral part of the country’s development.
While remittances have traditionally supported household consumption, education and healthcare, policymakers are looking to convert a larger share of those flows into productive investments capable of supporting industrialisation, job creation and export growth.
The choice of Washington, D.C., for the launch is also significant. The United States hosts one of Ghana’s largest and most affluent diaspora communities. It is the world’s largest source country for remittances, making it a natural starting point for efforts to mobilise diaspora investment capital.
Also addressing the launch, Presidential Advisor on the Economy Seth Terkper called for a new approach to diaspora engagement, stressing the need for Africa and Ghana to rethink how diaspora resources are mobilised and deployed for development.
His remarks reinforce a broader policy shift from viewing remittances solely as household income to treating diaspora wealth, expertise, and entrepreneurial networks as strategic assets capable of financing businesses, transferring technology, and supporting economic diversification.
If Region 17 succeeds in creating credible pathways for diaspora investment, Ghana could broaden its external financing base beyond aid and conventional foreign direct investment, giving overseas Ghanaians a more direct role in financing businesses, infrastructure and innovation while strengthening the country’s long-term economic resilience.
