Many people often cite the lack of corporate sponsorship as the reason Ghana’s events industry is struggling, but Kojo Soboh, CEO of EMY Africa, believes the real issues lie elsewhere.
According to him, the problems stem from poor collaboration among event organisers, a lack of professionalism, and not just inadequate funding.
Speaking in an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Kojo Soboh explained that although sponsorship is important, the sector’s challenges go beyond money.
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According to him, event organisers in Ghana often work in isolation instead of teaming up to share resources and ideas.
“See, we are always quick to finger insufficient funding, but the challenges of event organisers are bigger than that. There is poor collaboration among players, making it difficult for organisers to stage successful events,” he said.
He pointed to examples from outside Ghana to show what is possible when companies work together.
He cited the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), where Ghanaian organiser Nabil Alhassan of Event Factory joins forces with colleagues in Nigeria to deliver the show.
In his view, that kind of partnership is what is missing in Ghana.
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“Why can’t we do the same in Ghana? Two or three event organisers can come together to execute a good show, but unfortunately, that partnership is non-existent, and event companies are forced to singlehandedly bear all the cost and stress every time.
“Many industry players are too competitive. Everyone wants to be the king of their own small space. But imagine if two or three top event organisers pooled resources together to hold an event. It would change the game,” he added.
According to Soboh, working together would not only make events more affordable to produce, but it would also improve their quality and attract bigger sponsors.
“If two or three event organisers joined forces, costs would drop, quality would rise, and sponsors would take us seriously,” he stressed.
Soboh was also blunt about what he sees as a professionalism gap in the industry.
He argued that many people calling themselves event organisers lack the skills and training needed to deliver high-quality productions.
This, he said, has led to poor planning, financial losses, and disappointing experiences for audiences.
“Let’s face it. Some event organisers lack proper training and expertise, leading to financial losses and poor event execution. It is not enough to have an idea; there is a need to plan and the finances to back it,” he said.
Soboh also raised issues about the absence of regulations to guide the sector. With no clear structures in place, he said, anyone can wake up and decide to call themselves an event organiser, regardless of experience.
He warned, creates room for poorly executed shows that damage the credibility of the entire industry.
“Anyone can wake up and call themselves an event organiser. No training, no structure, just poor execution that scares away sponsors and disappoints patrons. This affects the credibility of the entire sector,” he explained.
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