- Ghana to Court Global Investors at World Cup Through Business Forums in Canada, US
Ghana is seeking to leverage the global spotlight of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to attract foreign direct investment, deepen diaspora engagement and promote export growth through a series of Invest Ghana Business Forums and Exhibitions in Canada and the United States.
The initiative is being jointly organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Ghana Free Zones Authority and the Ghana Export-Import Bank.
The engagements will take place in Montreal, Toronto and Philadelphia, and are designed to convert the heightened international visibility from the World Cup into structured business dialogue, strategic partnerships and a credible pipeline of investments into priority sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
According to the organisers, the forums will position Ghana as a stable, competitive and investor-ready destination at a time when countries are increasingly competing for global capital, trade partnerships and diaspora-backed investment.
The programme will highlight major national development priorities and investment opportunities, including the Big Push Agenda, the 24-Hour Economy, the Volta Economic Corridor Project and other high-potential sectors.
These include energy, agribusiness, manufacturing, mining and minerals value addition, the digital economy, healthcare, tourism and real estate.
As part of the initiative, GEPA will open its first Ghana Trade House in Philadelphia, a move expected to strengthen Ghana’s export promotion efforts and create a new platform for Made-in-Ghana goods and services in the United States market.
The Trade House is expected to improve visibility for Ghanaian exporters, support market access and reinforce Ghana’s position as a competitive gateway to West Africa.
The planned engagements are expected to bring together senior government officials, investment promotion executives, trade agencies, business leaders, investors, Ghanaian diaspora professionals and representatives of Ghana’s missions abroad.
Expected participants include the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Mr Simon Madjie; the Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Mr Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur; the Chief Executive Officer of GFZA, Dr Mary Awusi; and the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank, Mr Sylvester Adinam Mensah.
Also expected to participate are the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, representatives of Ghana’s High Commissions in Canada, Ghana’s Embassy in the United States, trade associations, businesses and investors.
The organisers say the initiative is aligned with Ghana’s medium-term development priorities of industrialisation, infrastructure expansion, value addition and job creation.
They also emphasised that the programme is being designed to produce outcomes that extend beyond the World Cup tournament.
Speaking on the significance of the forums, GIPC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Simon Madjie, said the engagements are expected to enhance Ghana’s international investment profile, deepen investor interest in bankable projects, increase diaspora participation and support sustained post-World Cup investment promotion through stronger institutional follow-up.
He called on Ghanaians in the diaspora, business leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and strategic partners to actively participate in the forums and contribute to a national effort to showcase Ghana’s opportunities.
Mr Madjie said the forums provide an opportunity to support enterprise growth and strengthen Ghana’s position in the global investment landscape.
For his part, GEPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, said the opening of the Ghana Trade House is intended to deepen Ghana’s trade presence in the United States and create new pathways for promoting Ghanaian goods and services.
“This is more than the opening of a physical trade space; it is the creation of new opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to compete, connect, and grow in one of the world’s most dynamic markets,” he said.
GFZA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mary Awusi, said the World Cup presents Ghana with a rare platform to connect global attention with real investment opportunities.
“Through the Invest Ghana Business Forums, we are showcasing the strength of Ghana’s free zones programme and the country’s readiness to support export-oriented industries, industrial transformation, and long-term investor partnerships,” she added.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank, Mr Sylvester Adinam Mensah, said the engagements will help unlock new opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, strengthen investor confidence and support the growth of value-added exports.
By bringing together investment promotion, trade development, export expansion and industrial facilitation under a single coordinated platform, the Invest Ghana Business Forums and Exhibitions are expected to reinforce Ghana’s visibility among global investors.
The initiative also reflects Ghana’s wider effort to use international platforms to promote trade and investment, particularly as the country seeks to expand exports, attract long-term capital and increase diaspora participation in national development.
For Ghana, the World Cup offers more than a sporting moment. It provides an opportunity to place the country’s investment story before global audiences, business networks and diaspora communities with strong links to North America.
The success of the initiative will depend on how effectively the forums convert interest into bankable partnerships, export deals and investment commitments.
Organisers say the ultimate objective is to move beyond visibility and use the tournament period to secure lasting partnerships that support Ghana’s industrialisation, export diversification and private-sector growth agenda.
