Chinese investors signal interest in Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Programme
Chinese private sector investors have expressed keen interest in backing Ghana’s flagship 24-Hour Economy Programme, following a business engagement in Accra jointly organised by the Chinese Embassy and the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat.
The session, which brought together senior Ghanaian government officials and over 50 Chinese business leaders, explored strategic partnerships to industrialise the Ghanaian economy, expand exports, and create sustainable jobs at scale.
Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy, Mr. Goosie Tanoh, set the tone for the discussions, stressing the Programme’s results-oriented approach. “We are building a portfolio of coordinated projects that will bring the Programme to life and deliver real value for Ghana,” he said. “We have completed concept notes for our first 20 priority projects and are now commencing feasibility studies that will make each one bankable and investment-ready.”
Mr. Tanoh outlined a pipeline of projects spanning agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, health, and the creative economy. These, he said, are advancing through early-stage development, with Ghana seeking private partners—particularly from China—to move them into execution.
He also acknowledged the bureaucratic hurdles that investors sometimes face and disclosed that government agencies are finalising a consolidated incentives regime to streamline processes and offer transparent exemptions and benefits.
“The China-Ghana relationship is longstanding and multifaceted,” Mr. Tanoh noted. “It dates back to our struggle for independence and the collaboration between Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou, and our late President Nkrumah.”
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa, echoed these sentiments, hailing the alignment between the 24H+ vision and China’s development cooperation strategy in Africa.
“China remains Ghana’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment,” he stated. “In 2024, bilateral trade reached an unprecedented high of 11.8 billion US Dollars, marking a year-on-year growth of 7.1%. Bilateral trade from January to May 2025 reached 5.28 billion US Dollars, an increase of 8.9% year-on-year. In 2024, China’s direct investment in Ghana amounted to 62.15 million US Dollars, spanning multiple sectors and wide-ranging fields, creating substantial employment opportunities locally and assisting Ghana in advancing its industrialization.”
Ambassador Tong pledged China’s continued support for the 24-Hour Economy, particularly in critical sectors such as agriculture, logistics, energy, and agro-industrial infrastructure.
The event also saw strong backing from key Ghanaian institutions responsible for executing priority projects. Mr. Alexander Kofi-Mensah Mould, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), assured investors of a transparent and efficient process.
“MiDA will oversee the end-to-end scoping and procurement of projects, ensuring we partner with the right service providers to deliver on time and within budget,” Mr. Mould said. He highlighted bankable investment opportunities in agro-ecological parks, feeder roads, and Volta Lake transport systems.
Top-level representatives from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana EXIM Bank, Development Bank Ghana, and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund also shared insights into how they are working in concert to finance and implement the Programme’s deliverables.
The business engagement concluded with enthusiastic responses from Chinese investors, who lauded the data-driven and structured approach of the 24H+ Programme. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation, positioning China as a long-term partner in Ghana’s journey towards accelerated and inclusive industrial transformation.