London: President John Dramani Mahama on Monday opened the Ghana-UK Investment Summit 2026 in London with an appeal to businesses and investors in the United Kingdom to invest in Ghana. "To the international investors gathered here today, let me say this clearly, Ghana is open for business. We're open to partnerships that create jobs, transfer technology, develop skills, support industrialization, expand exports, and deliver sustainable growth," President Mahama said.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two-day Ghana-UK Investment Summit is organized by the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Invest Africa and the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce. It brought together a distinguished gathering of business leaders, institutional investors, policy makers, and development partners. President Mahama highlighted that the Summit comes at a critical moment for Ghana and Africa as businesses and investors globally reassess supply chains, search for resilient growth markets, diversify investment destinations, and position themselves for the next era of global economic transformation.
President Mahama emphasized that in this changing global landscape, Ghana offers valuable attributes such as political stability, democratic maturity, strategic geographical access, improving macroeconomic fundamentals, and a government committed to creating a transparent and investor-friendly business environment. He noted that Ghana and the United Kingdom share a long and evolving relationship rooted in trade innovation, investment, education, and shared democratic values.
Currently, bilateral trade between Ghana and the UK exceeds 1.5 billion pounds annually. However, President Mahama believes this is just the beginning of what is possible. He envisions the future Ghana-UK partnership moving beyond traditional trade into deeper strategic collaboration in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, agribusiness, renewable energy, financial services, pharmaceuticals, tourism, education, and the digital economy.
The President stated that the Summit is not merely a networking event but a platform for building long-term partnerships capable of delivering jobs, innovation, industrial growth, and shared prosperity. He expressed his satisfaction with the participation of several ministers and senior government officials at the summit and encouraged potential investors to engage with them during the sessions and networking engagements.
Mrs. Shaba Zita Benson, Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, said the Summit aims to deepen commercial ties and create lasting values for both countries. Dr. Christian Rogg, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, announced a significant investment by the UK-backed private infrastructure development group, PIDG. The group is investing £101 million in a ship repair and dry-docking facility at Takoradi Port in Ghana, expected to create up to 430 jobs, with 30 per cent reserved for women, strengthening Ghana's role in the region.
Dr. Rogg further pledged the UK Government's full support for Ghana's socioeconomic development, underscoring the importance of the Summit in fostering meaningful and impactful partnerships.