The Board and Management of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) have concluded a two-day retreat in Peduase, Eastern Region, to review the Centre’s operational priorities, assess progress, and align strategies to strengthen Ghana’s investment promotion agenda for the rest of 2026.
With the passage of the Bill that transforms the Centre into the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA), the retreat brought together members of the Board and Management to deliberate on institutional reforms, governance, investor support services, and measures to enhance Ghana’s competitiveness as an investment destination.
Speaking at a media briefing on the sidelines of the retreat on Tuesday, May 26, GIPC Board Chairman Akwasi Oppong-Fosu described the meeting as critical to building a stronger and more effective institution following parliament’s passage of the Bill into law, currently awaiting presidential assent.
The Centre will also see the relocation of its operations to the new Ministry of Finance office complex.
The GIPC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Simon Madjie, reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to transforming Ghana into one of the most attractive destinations for business and investment in West Africa and across the African continent.
He said the transition of the GIPC into an Authority forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s investment environment and support the government’s economic transformation agenda.
According to him, the Board and Management of the Centre have resolved to continue President John Dramani Mahama’s agenda to reset Ghana’s investment climate through private-sector participation.
Mr Madjie explained that the government’s objective is to grow the Ghanaian economy by creating a more enabling environment for both domestic and foreign businesses, noting that several reforms have already been undertaken to improve investor confidence and ease of doing business.
He identified the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Bill as one of the key reforms currently underway, saying that the proposed legislation is not merely intended to change the status of the Centre into an Authority, but also to remove the minimum capital requirement that has long been a challenge for many investors.
According to him, the new law will also strengthen GIPC’s facilitation role by helping investors settle more easily in Ghana while supporting Ghanaian businesses with the capacity to expand into regional markets under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
“The basic investment law of Ghana has been reviewed to support these objectives,” he stated.
Mr Madjie said another major focus of the Centre has been promoting the “Brand Ghana” as a preferred destination for investment.
He noted that President Mahama’s declaration that Ghana is open for business has become a central pillar of GIPC’s investment promotion efforts both locally and internationally.
“This is to encourage investors who left to return and for those who maintained confidence in Ghana to recognise the opportunities available,” he said.
The GIPC CEO attributed the renewed investor interest to Ghana’s improving economic outlook, noting that Ghana is now ranked the eighth-largest economy in Africa, with a Gross Domestic Product of approximately $114 billion.
He added that stable macroeconomic and microeconomic indicators are expected to attract more investments into the country.
According to him, being open for business is not just a slogan, but a commitment backed by institutional reforms within the Centre.
He revealed that GIPC has introduced measures to reduce the number of days required to register businesses, including the introduction of a 24-hour premium registration service.
“For companies with concerns about technology transfer registration, we now have a dedicated department, soon to become a full division, to make the process easier and more efficient,” he explained.
Mr Madjie said the transformation of GIPC is aimed at improving services for both local and international investors while positioning Ghana as the best place to do business within the sub-region and across Africa.
He further disclosed that the Centre has introduced an investment opportunities mapping programme to identify and promote investment opportunities across all 261 districts in Ghana.
According to him, the initiative aims to provide investors and foreign missions with reliable data on business opportunities across the country.
To support this effort, GIPC has also embarked on regional investment roadshows to showcase the economic potential of the country’s 16 regions.
“So far, we have covered about seven regions, and we will continue until every region is reached,” he stated.
Mr Madjie announced that the Centre has established regional offices in Ho, Volta Region, and Koforidua, Eastern Region, to bring investment promotion and facilitation services closer to businesses outside Accra.
He described the Eastern Region as an emerging business hub, stretching from Aburi through Nsawam to Nkawkaw, with increasing commercial activity attracting the Centre’s attention.
“Our objective is to ensure that business people see the opportunities beyond the traditional commercial centres such as Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale,” he said.
On the international front, Mr Madjie said GIPC has participated in several trade missions with President Mahama to promote Ghana abroad.
He indicated that the country is already seeing the benefits through expansion by existing companies and the announcement of new investment projects.
“We are re-energised for the duty of resetting Ghana’s investment environment and ensuring that Ghana remains the most valuable place to establish a business in West Africa and across the African continent,” he added.
On his part, the Board Chairman of GIPC, Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, noted that strong institutions are built on clear purpose, disciplined leadership, sound governance, effective management, and a shared commitment to the public interest.
Mr Oppong-Fosu said the new law would provide a stronger legal framework for investment promotion, facilitation, and regulation once assented to.
“When assented to, the new law will support the transformation of the Centre into a more modern, responsive, and effective institution better positioned to serve investors and support Ghana’s development priorities,” he stated.
He noted that the mandate of GIPC remains central to Ghana’s economic transformation agenda, stressing that the Centre is expected to position Ghana as a competitive investment destination while supporting enterprise development, job creation, and national growth.
“As a board, we do not take this responsibility lightly. Our role is to provide strategic oversight, support management, and ensure that the Centre remains focused, accountable, and responsive to the needs of investors, government, and the people of Ghana,” he added.
Mr Oppong-Fosu emphasised that legislation alone cannot transform an institution, stressing that implementation would require readiness, discipline, internal alignment, and commitment.
He explained that the retreat allowed the Board and Management to discuss the institutional, operational, and communication measures that would follow the coming into force of the new law.
The Board Chairman, who announced the relocation of GIPC operations to the new Ministry of Finance office complex, described it as a significant operational transition, assuring investors and stakeholders that the Centre’s priority remains continuity of service, minimal disruption, and sustained responsiveness.
“We encourage investors to continue to experience GIPC as an organised, responsive, and credible institution,” he said.
Mr Oppong-Fosu said the presentations underscored GIPC’s efforts to strengthen the entire investment cycle by identifying opportunities, improving facilitation services, addressing investor concerns, enhancing research and data systems, and integrating regional investment opportunities into the national agenda.
He added that the retreat reinforced the need for a Centre-wide reset focused on strengthening organisational culture, improving financial sustainability, deepening collaboration, and making investment promotion more targeted and resource-driven.
Mr Oppong-Fosu said the Board expects the Centre to move with “greater clarity, coordination, and urgency” in delivering on its mandate.
He noted that Ghana possesses significant opportunities, including strategic access to regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area, a strong private sector, and high-growth sectors.
However, he stressed that these opportunities must be matched with institutional seriousness, coordinated national action, and consistent delivery.
“The board remains committed to supporting management to build a stronger GIPC, one that is more strategic, more responsive, more data-driven, and more capable of supporting investors from enquiry through to establishment, expansion, and reinvestment,” he stated.
He also called on the media to continue partnering with GIPC in promoting Ghana’s investment story with “accuracy, balance, and confidence.”
“Our responsibility is clear, we must strengthen the GIPC to serve investors better, support national development, and play our part in advancing the transformation agenda of President Mahama aimed at building a stronger, more competitive, and more prosperous Ghana,” he concluded.
As part of the programme, Board members and Management also participated in separate capacity-building sessions on corporate governance, board effectiveness, and effective public sector management practices.
During the retreat, management presented updates on the activities of the Centre’s various divisions, including investor services, research and investment intelligence, business development, aftercare and grievance resolution, regional and global operations, legal affairs, finance, audit, human resources, and communications.
