Ghana, a hot spot for global events – The Music Perspective

The African continent has bounced back into the world economies that leverage tourism to elevate and sustain growth in areas such as arts and its related value chains.

With Accra gradually becoming one of the biggest and hottest spots in Africa for the creative industry, music concerts and related events are seeing massive growth recently, which has propelled most fan loving Ghanaians into going back to our events going culture. The gains thereof, especially during the last quarter of the year, is gratifying to say the least.

The Year of Return campaign as reported by the Ghana Tourism Authority, has thus far exceeded expectations, putting Ghana on the global map and spotlighting it as the official holiday season destination attracting many from diverse backgrounds including many Hollywood stars.

‘December in GH’ doesn’t only boost the tourism numbers for the country, it has become a movement; a clarion call for the global African family to reconnect with our arts and culture.

Global events such Global Citizen concert, Afrofuture and Afronation, as well as potential deal breakers like Wildaland, Rapperholic, Akwaaba Parties, Polo Beach Club, Taste of Ghana, Little Havana, Around the World, Rythmz on the Runway,Shatta Concert, Samini Experience, Stonebwoy’s concerts, Western Carnivals, Nite of Laughs, Explosion of Joy and the Roverman plays, etc. have found their rhythms in Accra, raking in huge revenues and exporting our arts and culture through their various platforms where they promote Ghana as their event destinations.

Our Music

Although today’s new wave of Afrobeats has been strongly dominated by our West African brothers, Nigeria -- where in the 1970s it originated and became popular through  music icon Fela Kuti, neighbouring Ghana has been steadily emerging in the sapce.

Today, you cannot visit any Ghanaian night club or pub without experiencing Ghana’s beautiful authentic music created by our musicians. Our music has transcended the boarders of Ghana in recent times.

I recall a visit to Kingston, Jamaica in 2023, where Ghana’s KiDi’s music, Touch It was being played in a Jamaican pub and some guests singing the choruses and dancing to the rhythm. Indeed, our music has been placed on a huge international market beyond the Motherland’s borders.

 A Favourable economy

As Ghana focuses on building a more sustainable economy, it has become important for the country to continually attract new foreign investments. Ghana has consistently attracted considerable investment from overseas and has maintained a good history of trade with the rest of the world.

The Ghanaian Government maintains the goal of creating a business environment that would attract more foreign private capital.

Over the years, the country has taken steps to diversify the economy, increase trade across borders and improve the ease of doing business within its boundaries. In the latest Doing Business Report conducted and issued by the World Bank, Ghana placed 118th out of 190 economies surveyed. This was a drop from the 114th spot in 2019.

Our ICT and Telecommunication Infrastructure

As a key component in amplifying global events, Ghana’s telecommunications and ICT sector has gone through significant phases of growth over the last two decades, with a mobile voice penetration rate of 136.68% with over 40 million subscribers and a mobile data penetration rate of 80.33% with 23 million subscribers and counting.

The major players in the telecommunications sector are MTN, Vodafone (now Telecel) and the recently merged AirtelTigo (AT). MTN commands a large share of the market.

ICT has been a vital component of the economic growth of Ghana in the last decades. The country has a stable environment for innovation and the development of ICT, with oversight from the Ministry of Communication, responsible for facilitating the development of a reliable and cost-effective world-class communications infrastructure and services, and the National Communications Authority (NCA), which are primarily regulators of the communications industry.

The country’s ICT Industry comprises telecommunications operators, internet service providers, Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) data operators, software manufacturers, broadcast institutions, ICT education providers, and internet cafés among others. The infrastructural base of the sector includes licensed gateway operators, undersea cable connectivity, private licensed VSAT systems, fixed wired line networks, wireless mobile operators, public telephones systems, telecentres, dedicated transmission networks, public distribution networks (cable, TV, DSL, etc.), internet backbone connectivity throughout the country and public access point and broadcasting systems.

Our Security System

Ghana is relatively safe country in a region with growing safety and security concerns.

Ghana’s ranking on the Global Peace Index for 2022 is 40 out of 163 countries covered. This represents a small decrease from its previous rank of 38 in 2021. In 2022, having witnessed its immediate neighbouring countries suffer from terrorist attacks, Ghana launched a campaign titled “If you see something, say something” to increase public awareness and ask for citizens’ support to help address the threat posed by extremist groups.

Those groups often exploit poverty and high unemployment to recruit new members.  Ghana has also launched the “Accra Initiative” with its neighbours, a cooperative and collaborative security mechanism among seven West African countries that face increasing threats and attacks from Islamist militants on their norther borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. These and many other factors, makes it safer to host a global event here in Ghana than any other neighboring country on the continent of Africa.

Event Logistics providers

In a significant stride towards transforming the landscape of event hosting in Ghana, many private and public event venues have emerged as Ghana’s best event centers. From the Black Star Square to the Emporium, the Grand Arena to the Untamed Empire, Chez Afrik, Alliance Francaise, etc.

The umbrella body for event organisers and logistics providers in Ghana, the Events and Meetings Professionals Association of Ghana (EMPAG), has been positioned to ensure delivering world class support services to global events in Ghana.

From stage, lighting, set designs, trusses, LED screens, stage fog/smoke machines, nothing falls short of supply in Ghana. EMPAG is mandated to promote the growth and preservation of the events industry through policy advocacy and standardisation of industry practices.

 EMPAG members represent the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), entertainment, experiential marketing and corporate events, as well as events logistics, audiovisual production and event support services. Members are specialized in organizing and providing logistics and support services for large events, corporate events and social/private events.

Indeed, visiting Ghana especially in December, is a guarantee of what makes the country great: beautiful beaches, fantastic weather, and immersive and inclusive culture. Where else would you want to power your global event in Africa? Akwaaba to Ghana.

I conclude with this saying by H.E. NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO [President of the Republic of Ghana, “To all of you visiting our shores for the first time, I say Akwaaba!, our word of welcome to you. You are amongst a people who pride themselves on their sense of hospitality. Enjoy your visit to our beautiful country”.