IN line with government’s goal to use the Black Star Experience as a flagship programme to market Ghana as an attractive tourism destination, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has unveiled Mansa Musa, a project aimed at positioning Ghana as Africa's creative capital.
Mansa Musa, a collaboration with Ghanaian poet and playwright Chief Moomen, is expected to commence next year in the USA and aims at promoting Ghana’s cultural diplomacy, heritage tourism and investment through authentic African and Ghanaian stories.
The CEO of GTA, Maame Efua Houadjeto, announced the project during her address at this year’s National Tourism Awards held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on Friday, November 13.
In her presentation, she highlighted the Authority’s initiatives, including Mansa Musa, which will revitalise Ghana's tourism sector and position the country as a leading destination.
The Mansa Musa project, created by Ghanaian poet and playwright Chief Moomen, uses the historical figure, Mansa Musa of the old Mali Empire, to tell stories of African history and heritage.
It has launched epic musical theatre productions such as "Mansa Musa and the Trail of Lost Gold," which have been performed at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and the Barbados Performing Arts Centre.
GTA’s Mansa Musa is a similar concept designed to serve as a major promotional tool for Ghana and to reach global audiences through media such as film, music and comics.(Read Ghana Tourism Authority CEO deepens arts/tourism ties in Columbus)
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, November 17, 2025, Maame Efua Houadjeto disclosed that the project is a partnership with Chief Moomen.
“This project is going to be more like a Broadway show where patrons will get the chance to learn about authentic African and Ghanaian stories.
“The truth is that nobody will tell our stories if we don’t tell them ourselves, and use them to promote our culture and tourism. Today, everyone talks about The Lion King because it has been used as a campaign tool to promote a particular story.
That is what we intend to do with Mansa Musa. Through partnerships across the United States — Las Vegas, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Columbus — we are building platforms to showcase Ghana’s arts, fashion, entrepreneurship and innovation to global audiences and investors.
So far, we have met with the Mayors of Columbus and Ohio, and they are happy to support us. We will be meeting the Mayors of New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. It’s going to be a proper roadshow to reclaim Africa’s narrative and project Ghana as the continent’s creative capital.
“When we tell our story boldly, the world listens. When we lead with culture, the world follows. Through Mansa Musa and the new GTA offices in the U.S., we are igniting imagination, turning creativity into capital, and positioning Ghana as the beacon of Africa’s cultural renaissance,” she said.
Maame Efua highlighted Creative Arts as a vital component of Ghana's tourism story, citing partnerships with Columbus Artway Inc. in the United States to showcase Ghanaian talent globally.
“GTA is opening offices in three US states, serving as hubs for tourism promotion, business development, and diaspora engagement,” she added.
