Ghanaian businesses have remained resilient and cautiously optimistic about their performance in the first half of 2026, with improved macroeconomic conditions providing some relief to the private sector.
Stephane Miezan, President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), said the first half of the year had been relatively good compared with the same period in 2025, citing improvements in the stability of the cedi, inflation and interest rates.
Mr Miezan observed that the improved economic conditions had created a better environment for businesses to plan, although global developments and domestic operating challenges continued to require caution.
He made the observation at a media forum powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), where he assessed the performance and prospects of Ghana’s business community.
He said businesses could not afford to be overly optimistic because developments in the global economy, including geopolitical tensions, could affect inflation, energy prices and business operations in Ghana.
Mr Emmanuel Doni-Kwame, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Ghana, indicated that the economy had achieved some level of stability, particularly in foreign exchange, which had improved predictability and created room for businesses to undertake longer-term planning.
Mr Doni-Kwame, however, cautioned that Ghana remained part of the global economy and could therefore be affected by international developments, particularly those affecting energy and trade.
Mr Doni-Kwame said investor confidence was improving, stressing, however, that infrastructure and connectivity remained critical to sustaining investment.
He said businesses required efficient road, rail and other transport networks to move raw materials from production areas to factories and finished goods to ports and markets.
He noted that infrastructure and inadequate connectivity could undermine Ghana’s efforts to attract and sustain investment despite improving investor confidence, stressing that infrastructure remained critical to investment because businesses needed reliable transportation networks to move raw materials, finished products and other goods efficiently.
He said that while investor confidence had improved, the country needed to accelerate infrastructure development and improve connectivity within Ghana and across the West African sub-region.
According to him, an investor whose raw materials were located in the middle of the country would consider the cost and efficiency of transporting them to factories and ultimately to the ports before committing capital.
He said improved infrastructure would therefore strengthen the country’s competitiveness and make investment more attractive, and therefore called for improved connectivity along major regional corridors, including the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, to facilitate trade and investment across West Africa.
Mr Doni-Kwame further stated that the private sector also required improvements in sea transport and other logistics systems to reduce the cost and time associated with moving goods.
He also called for measures to reduce delays at Ghana’s ports, particularly delays associated with inspections by multiple agencies, and proposed better coordination among the agencies responsible for inspections, saying a coordinated inspection timetable could reduce congestion and shorten turnaround times.
He said reducing delays at the ports was important because time and logistics costs ultimately affected businesses and consumers.
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