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Els MBN360 Business
Simon Madjie, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), has issued a definitive assurance to the international business community: Ghana is not only open for business but offers a legal fortress for global capital.
Speaking in Accra, during a high-level forum with a 54-member Japanese business delegation, Madjie asserted that the nation’s investment climate is anchored on non-discrimination and constitutional protection.
Led by Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Kunimitsu Ayano, the delegation represented a strategic surge in interest following President John Dramani Mahama’s landmark state visit to Japan in August 2025. For Madjie, this mission was a pivotal moment to demonstrate that Ghana’s democratic stability is the ultimate collateral for foreign direct investment (FDI).
“Ghana’s Constitution explicitly encourages and protects foreign direct investment. Our legal and regulatory framework guarantees protection against expropriation and discrimination, while allowing the free transfer of capital, dividends, and profits.
“Foreign investors are treated exactly the same as local investors, subject only to local content requirements aimed at enhancing participation and value addition. We are committed to a secure and non-discriminatory climate”Simon Madjie, CEO of GIPC
The GIPC lead clarified that the regulatory framework is specifically engineered to eliminate the traditional risks associated with emerging markets. By guaranteeing the absolute protection of private property and the seamless repatriation of profits, Ghana is positioning itself as the most secure entry point for Asian capital into the African continent.
AfCFTA and Flagship Opportunities
Central to Mr. Madjie’s presentation was Ghana’s status as the commercial capital of Africa, hosting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
This provides Japanese investors with a dual-layered market advantage: immediate access to the 400 million consumers within the ECOWAS sub-region and a direct pipeline to the 1.4 billion people across the broader continent.
The CEO further noted that the timing of the engagement coincides with a robust recovery in investment figures as GIPC recently recorded 26 significant projects totaling $152.1 million in FDI across multiple sectors.
According to Mr. Madjie, this data-driven success is proof that the “Doing Business in Ghana,” campaign is yielding tangible results, even as global markets face volatility.
A major highlight of the forum was the presentation on the $60 billion Petroleum Hub project in Jomoro, Western Region. Declared the “Year of Action,” by project leaders, 2026 marks the transition from conceptual planning to physical groundwork.
Mr. Madjie invited the Japanese delegation to explore joint ventures in this massive petrochemical ecosystem, which includes refineries, storage tanks, and jetties.
By emphasizing “farm-in” opportunities and gas infrastructure, GIPC is inviting specialized Japanese technology into Ghana’s energy sector. The Petroleum Hub is seen as the cornerstone of President Mahama’s industrialization agenda, promising to transform the nation into a downstream energy leader for West Africa.
The visit of Minister Kunimitsu Ayano serves as a follow-up to the diplomatic groundwork laid during TICAD 9 in Yokohama. The Minister applauded the GIPC’s pro-business reforms and noted that more Japanese firms are looking at Ghana as a manufacturing and technology base.
As the session concluded, Simon Madjie reiterated that the GIPC’s role extends beyond promotion to “aftercare,” ensuring that once an investor arrives, they have the institutional support to scale.
