Ghana’s economic "Reset Agenda" secured an emphatic vote of confidence on the global stage yesterday when President John Dramani Mahama’s visit to the United Kingdom (UK) triggered a £215-million freshly brokered business deal and infrastructure investments on the sidelines of the Ghana-UK Investment Summit in London.
The agreement, signed during President John Dramani Mahama’s official visit to the UK, sets out a framework for cooperation between the two countries from 2026 to 2028.
It will leverage the private sector investment power, backed by the two governments, to deepen growth, expand trade and bolster industrial development and skills training.
The commitments range from critical infrastructural projects backed by the UK private infrastructure group to new private capital mobilised directly through the London Stock Exchange.
The £215-million Ghana-UK Growth Partnership Agreement under which the deals and investments will be implemented is aimed at increasing trade diversification and infrastructural development. It was signed at the beginning of the summit.
The summit, organised by Ghana’s High Commission to the UK, Invest Africa, and the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, brought together investors from financial institutions, equity investors, mutual funds, insurance, real estate and tourism sectors from the UK, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Nigeria.
The three-day summit was designed to chart a new economic course for the nation, while cementing its position as a premier investment destination in West Africa.
It also serves as a platform to present Ghana's updated economic direction, highlighting the strategic reforms, priority sectors and modern investment frameworks that define its next chapter.
Ghana gateway
Speaking at the opening session yesterday, alongside UK policymakers, President Mahama said Ghana’s economic turnaround had become a primary driver for investments.
He highlighted the remarkable improvement in inflation, which has dropped from 23.8 per cent in December 2024 to 3.4 per cent in April 2026, and a surge in international reserves, which now stands at about $13.8 billion.
President Mahama said with Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) now crossing the $114 billion mark and expanding at six per cent annually, the investor community, especially those in the United Kingdom, must look to Ghana for investment, declaring that the country is “open for business”.
The President urged them to move beyond traditional trade into deep, strategic partnerships, adding that Ghana was the undisputed gateway to the broader $3-trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
24-Hr Economy
President Mahama also highlighted the government's flagship 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a productivity strategy designed to keep industry, logistics, and manufacturing working around the clock.
“This is a deliberate national productivity strategy rather than a mere slogan, hence the government’s decision to ensure an alignment of policy, incentives, and infrastructure to support businesses operating around the clock”, President Mahama pointed out.
He invited UK entities to capitalise on the round-the-clock model by investing in industrial parks, transport, warehousing and digital infrastructure.
AfCTA
Beyond domestic growth, President Mahama also stated that Ghana was a vital launchpad for British businesses looking to access the AfCFTA, which encompassed over 1.4 billion consumers with a combined GDP exceeding $3 trillion.
He highlighted recent legislative reforms, such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Act, which eliminates minimum capital requirements across multiple sectors and guarantees the seamless repatriation of profits.
“This is the time to move from conversations to commitments," President Mahama urged the packed delegation of international investors.
Commenting on the newly signed growth and partnership agreement, President Mahama stated that the agreement created the perfect framework for the two countries to collaborate even further.
“We have a good basis for this framework because we share the same values, democracy and respect for human rights, and I dare say that Ghana is a model of democracy in Africa,” President Mahama said.
British companies, President said, could be found in all sectors of Ghana’s economy, from oil and gas, manufacturing, and agro-processing to digital innovation and financial and fintech companies.
“I think that we are sharing in the prosperity and so we are committed to working together to create more opportunities for British investment,” President Mahama assured.
He expressed the hope that partnerships built from the summit would not only deliver returns for investors, but also create opportunities for millions of people across Ghana, the UK and Africa.
UK applauds progress
The UK Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, who also addressed the summit, praised the deep ties between the two nations and paid tribute to the vibrant Ghanaian diaspora in the UK.
He pointed out that the shared partnership between the two countries was a commitment united by ambition and choosing to build a stronger future together.
The £215 million deal in the area of investment opportunities, he said, was defined by growth, shared prosperity and the deep ties between both countries.
“This practical framework for cooperation between our countries focused on investment, focused on growth, and focused on jobs, is a framework that brings together government, business, investors and innovators to turn that shared ambition to practical delivery with real results for both our nations,” Deputy Prime Minister Lammy said.
“The strong economic foundations we share are already strong,” he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Lammy added that Ghana and the UK could deepen investment, support future growth and infrastructure, and expand cooperation in innovation, technology and enterprise, a vision that could create a clearer pathway for government and business to identify priorities and unlock opportunities and solve problems together.
Mr Lammy, however, expressed concern about local consumer realities in Ghana.
“I have visited Ghana on a number of occasions; it's a beautiful country, best cocoa in the world.
However, I am concerned about costs,” he said.
He, therefore, expressed joy at President Mahama’s assurance of inflation slowing down, saying the UK business community hoped that “investment will improve over time.”
The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Christian Rogg, in his remarks, announced that a UK-backed Private Infrastructure Development Group was ready to invest about £101 million in a Floating Dock at Takoradi Port.
He said aside from job creation, the project would also strengthen the country's role as a regional maritime hub.
"I'm pleased to announce that the UK-backed Private Infrastructure Development Group is making its largest investment to date, a £101 million ship repair and drydocking facility at Takoradi Port," he said.
Mr Rogg added that the project was expected to create up to 430 jobs, with women projected to occupy about 30 per cent of the positions.
The High Commissioner to Ghana also pointed out that the UK was launching a Green Project Preparation Facility with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to turn valuable ideas into investable, climate-focused projects.
“This will unlock up to $180 million in infrastructure deals that UK firms will participate in over the next three years,” he said.
He said UK exporters were also expanding their presence in Ghana, bringing skills, innovation, and other expertise.
“The £4 million Eastworld Park and Mango Tree Clinic health partnership is a great example, and we estimate that our transnational education and science and technology partnerships will generate over £61 million in UK exports and expertise over the next three years,” Mr Rogg stated.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Sabah Zita Benson, who welcomed the delegates, emphasised the evolution of the bilateral relationship into a modern economic partnership centred on innovation, sustainability and mutual growth.
Highlighting Ghana’s unique geographic and economic advantages, Mrs Benson reminded delegates that the country stood as a trusted, stable gateway to an emerging continental market of over 1.4 billion in Africa.
She reaffirmed the High Commission’s commitment to serving as a proactive bridge for British investors, offering full facilitation and support for businesses looking to establish or expand their footprint in the country.
