The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), last month, reintroduced the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) as a dynamic framework to guide the country’s long-term development agenda.
The relaunch, performed by the President, John Dramani Mahama, forms part of a broader national vision to transform Ghana’s economic and physical landscape by the time the nation celebrates its centenary in 2057.
The GIP was initially prepared in 2016 to complement the 40-Year Development Plan (2018–2057) and subsequently revised in 2019 to reflect evolving national priorities. However, implementation progress has been limited.
Strategic projects under GIP
The GIP provides a comprehensive roadmap for the development of critical infrastructure across key sectors, including energy, transport, housing, information and communications technology, and environmental sustainability.
In the energy and power sector, two flagship projects are proposed: the construction of a 60,000-barrels-per-day oil refinery in the Western Region and the establishment of Ghana’s first nuclear power plant by 2029.
These initiatives are intended to enhance energy security, reduce dependency on imported fuels and promote industrial expansion.
The plan proposes extensive road infrastructure, including three major bridges across the Volta Lake, new circular and arterial road systems for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, and bypasses along major trunk routes in key cities such as Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast and Takoradi.
The development of a four-lane Accra–Kumasi freeway and a coastal corridor forming part of the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor Project is also envisioned.
In the rail sector, the GIP outlines plans for a direct railway connection between Tema Port and Boankra Inland Port, as well as the construction of Ghana’s first underground rail system linking Accra and Adenta.
Additional suburban rail systems are proposed for Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi–Takoradi, alongside national north–south and transversal routes and a Trans-ECOWAS line.
Aviation and maritime transport are similarly prioritised, with proposals for a new international aerotropolis at Prampram through public–private partnerships, a new Kumasi Airport at Ankaase, and the upgrading of regional airports to enhance tourism and trade.
Along the coast, the plan also calls for the development of fishing ports and landing sites to support marine transport and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
The GIP further envisions the creation of a modern smart city at a strategic location, the development of approximately 520,000 hotel rooms, and the construction of teaching hospitals in every medical training institution
Scale of investment
According to estimates by the NDPC, Ghana will require approximately $37.2 billion annually over the next three decades to achieve the goals of the GIP. This translates into a cumulative investment of about $1.1 trillion between 2018 and 2047.
An additional $237.4 billion will be needed for maintenance, bringing the total infrastructure investment requirement to roughly $1.35 trillion.
Meeting this target presents a significant financing challenge with an urgent need for innovative approaches to infrastructure financing.
Financing options
To bridge the financing gap, the NDPC has proposed several strategies aimed at mobilising both domestic and international resources.
These include the use of land-based financing and value capture mechanisms, promoting value addition to mineral resources through local manufacturing, reducing illicit financial flows, and leveraging the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) to attract a greater share of international infrastructure financing.
While these strategies hold potential, they are unlikely to fully meet the resource requirements of the GIP. Excessive public borrowing would further exacerbate fiscal pressures and increase macroeconomic risks.
It is, therefore, imperative that Ghana explores models that combine public oversight with private sector participation, ensuring both efficiency and financial sustainability.
Public–Private Partnerships
Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) represent a viable and sustainable mechanism for mobilising large-scale infrastructure financing without unduly burdening the national debt.
PPPs also allow the private sector to contribute technical expertise, management efficiency, and innovation in project delivery.
Although the GIP identifies certain projects, such as those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, as PPP-driven, many of the proposed initiatives do not specify financing modalities.
A systematic approach is, therefore, required to determine which projects are suitable for PPP implementation and which are better suited to traditional public financing.
It is recommended that a national panel of PPP experts be established to evaluate the financial and technical feasibility of proposed projects.
This will help ensure that the PPP model is applied strategically and consistently, thereby reducing fiscal risk while maintaining the quality and sustainability of infrastructure development.
One of the main challenges to successful PPP implementation in Ghana is limited institutional capacity.
Many ministries, departments, agencies and local assemblies lack the technical expertise to identify, structure and manage PPP projects effectively.
The Ministry of Finance, working in close collaboration with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, should take the lead in strengthening technical capacity and developing frameworks for the preparation of bankable projects capable of attracting credible investors. In addition to capacity building, enhancing investor confidence is crucial.
This can be achieved through transparent regulatory practices, consistent policy communication and proactive project promotion.
Organising investment roadshows, both domestically and internationally, would provide potential investors with greater insight into Ghana’s infrastructure opportunities and demonstrate the government’s commitment to transparent and sustainable partnerships.
Foundation for vision
The relaunch of the Ghana Infrastructure Plan represents more than the revision of a policy document. It symbolises a renewed national commitment to building the foundations of a modern, competitive and sustainable economy.
Achieving the GIP’s vision by 2047, and ultimately by 2057, will depend on sustained political will, coordinated planning, and innovative financing mechanisms.
If Ghana succeeds in effectively mobilising resources through the strategic use of PPPs and sound investment management, the country could experience one of the most significant infrastructure transformations in its history, paving the way for accelerated national development in the decades leading to its centenary celebration.
The writer is a PPP expert based at Anglia Ruskin University, UK/Director, Innovation Inc.
E-mail: joseph.ofori@aru.ac.uk
