President Mahama calls on Japanese investors to turn attention to Ghana
President John Mahama has declared that Ghana’s once fragile currency has become the strongest in the world this year, encouraging Japanese businesses to invest in Ghana.
Addressing business leaders at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of TICAD IX, Mahama said his administration had managed to restore order to the economy, winning back investor confidence after years of volatility.
“For years, the cedi was tagged the worst-performing currency in Africa. Today, I can proudly say it is the best-performing currency in the world,” he told the gathering to applause.
He credited his government’s economic reforms for the turnaround, pointing to inflation that has dropped from almost 23% in 2024 to 13.7% this year, with hopes of single-digit figures by December. He also reminded his audience that international rating agencies have upgraded Ghana from junk status to B minus with a stable outlook.
Mahama pitched Ghana as a gateway to Africa, stressing that Japanese investors would benefit from duty-free access to a continental market of 1.4 billion people under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He further announced that Ghana had eased investment rules, scrapping the requirement for large minimum capital commitments under the revised GIPC Act. “With even $50,000, investors can now establish operations in Ghana,” he revealed.
Opportunities, he argued, were vast: automobile assembly for export across Africa, large-scale agribusiness under the proposed Volta Economic Corridor, and booming sectors such as energy and digital finance.
“Ghana has a young, English-speaking population ready to excel in robotics, AI, and fintech. Our fintech sector is already one of the fastest growing on the continent,” Mahama said, pointing to the country’s competitive edge.
He ended with a challenge to Japan: “Africa is opening up and Ghana is ready. Let us match Japan’s capabilities with Ghana’s potential and create a win-win for both sides.”
