Mr. Peter Nii Charway, Senior Manager for Infrastructure, Capital, and Real Estate Projects at Deloitte Ghana, advised SMEs during the “Ghana’s Economic Reset: What it means for Investors and SMEs” webinar to adjust strategically as the country’s economic reset opens new avenues across agriculture, industry, and services.
Speaking at the session, he emphasised that the post-crisis economy will reward businesses demonstrating “discipline” and “adaptability” rather than those relying solely on capital availability.
Services remain the largest contributor to GDP at over 40%, with growth led by sectors such as digital finance, healthcare, logistics, and technology. Charway noted that structural demand and “policy alignment” have been key drivers of this sector’s dominance, highlighting the role of government initiatives in creating an enabling environment.
Agriculture continues to underpin the economy, with opportunities extending beyond traditional exports like cocoa to non-traditional products including cashew, oil palm, pineapple, and mango. Agribusinesses engaged in processing and export-oriented production are positioned to benefit from both local and international demand.
In the industry, government strategies promoting import substitution and local manufacturing are creating openings for SMEs in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, and automotive assembly. Charway cited efforts to attract global automotive brands as part of a broader plan to reduce import dependence and develop domestic production capacity.
For SMEs, he stressed the importance of “financial discipline” and cost management across operations to preserve profitability. Aligning with government-supported growth areas, including infrastructure, fintech, manufacturing, and agribusiness, enhances the likelihood of securing policy support and meeting market demand.
Access to finance remains a challenge, but new channels are emerging through blended finance models and public-private partnerships. These approaches enable private sector participation while easing pressure on government resources.
Charway also highlighted the need for resilience in a competitive environment, noting that high-risk sectors such as luxury real estate, retail, and import trading can yield returns but require careful management of demand fluctuations and financing constraints.
He concluded that Ghana’s economic reset is fostering a more structured business landscape. SME success will hinge on strategic positioning, operational efficiency, and the ability to adapt to evolving economic conditions, ensuring competitiveness in the country’s next growth phase.
