Stakeholders in academia and industry are calling for entrepreneurship and marketing innovation to be placed at the centre of Ghana’s 24-hour economy policy to ensure sustainable implementation and inclusive growth.
The call was made at the 45th Management Week celebration of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) held on Wednesday at its Legon campus.
This year’s theme, “Marketing Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Catalysts for Success in a 24-Hour Economy”, focused on how businesses can adapt to the demands of a continuously operating economy.
The 24-hour economy initiative, launched by the government on July 2, 2025, aims to boost productivity and job creation by encouraging both private and public sector institutions to operate in three shifts across a 24-hour cycle.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, said the world’s rapid technological transformation requires innovative policy execution that supports commerce beyond traditional hours.
She explained that UGBS is already responding to this shift by offering regular, weekend, and online programmes, effectively operating in a 24-hour learning model to produce future business leaders and changemakers.
Dean of UGBS, Professor Justice Bawole, emphasized the need for Ghana to cultivate a strong entrepreneurial culture if the 24-hour policy is to be impactful.
“As a nation, entrepreneurship must be a culture, not an afterthought, for young people to thrive in the modern economy, they need to transition from being consumers to creators,” he said.
He noted that UGBS has rolled out 15 new market-driven programmes in the last six years in fields such as entrepreneurship, tax policy, and accounting to better align academic training with industry needs.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Nii Doodu Doodoo, Country Director of the British Council for Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon, stressed the importance of institutional collaboration in promoting innovation and startups.
“The government must not leave out entrepreneurship, but provide a network of institutions,” he said, adding that partnerships with the private sector are essential for scaling up business support and accelerating economic growth.
He expressed optimism that the 24-hour economy, if backed by the right structures and support systems, could be a game-changer for Ghana’s youth employment agenda.
The Management Week celebration brought together students, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry professionals to explore practical ways of making the 24-hour economy work through innovative business models, digital transformation, and responsive education.
