Ghana is preparing to use the global attention surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a platform to attract investment, expand trade opportunities and strengthen ties with its diaspora communities through a series of high-level business forums and exhibitions in Canada and the United States.
The initiative, dubbed the Invest Ghana Business Forums and Exhibitions, is being jointly organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) and the Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana Exim Bank).
The forums will be held in Montreal, Toronto and Philadelphia during the World Cup period and are expected to bring together investors, business executives, government officials, diaspora professionals and trade partners. The goal is to transform the heightened international visibility generated by the tournament into tangible investment opportunities, strategic partnerships and long-term economic benefits for Ghana.
Organisers believe the initiative comes at a crucial time as countries around the world compete aggressively for foreign direct investment, export markets and diaspora-backed development projects. By showcasing Ghana’s economic potential on a global stage, they hope to position the country as a stable, competitive and investor-ready destination.
The forums will spotlight key national development programmes and investment opportunities, including the government’s Big Push Agenda, the 24-Hour Economy initiative and the Volta Economic Corridor Project. Participants will also be introduced to opportunities across sectors such as energy, agribusiness, manufacturing, mining and minerals value addition, healthcare, tourism, real estate and the digital economy.
A major highlight of the programme will be the opening of GEPA’s first-ever Ghana Trade House in Philadelphia. The facility is expected to serve as a gateway for Made-in-Ghana products and services in the United States market, providing exporters with improved visibility, market access and business networking opportunities.
The Trade House is also expected to strengthen Ghana’s trade presence in North America while reinforcing the country’s ambition to become a leading commercial gateway to West Africa.
The events will feature participation from senior government officials and heads of key investment and trade institutions, including GIPC Chief Executive Officer Simon Madjie, GEPA Chief Executive Officer Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, GFZA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mary Awusi and Ghana Exim Bank Chief Executive Officer Sylvester Adinam Mensah.
Representatives from Ghana’s diplomatic missions in Canada and the United States, trade associations, business leaders, investors and members of the Ghanaian diaspora are also expected to attend.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Mr Madjie said the forums are designed to strengthen Ghana’s global investment profile, attract investor interest in viable projects and encourage greater diaspora participation in national development.
He urged Ghanaian professionals, entrepreneurs and business leaders living abroad to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase the country’s potential and contribute to enterprise growth.
Mr Arthur described the opening of the Ghana Trade House as a significant step towards expanding opportunities for Ghanaian businesses in one of the world’s largest and most competitive markets.
“This is more than the opening of a physical trade space; it is the creation of new opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to compete, connect and grow in one of the world’s most dynamic markets,” he said.
Dr Mary Awusi noted that the World Cup presents Ghana with a unique opportunity to connect global attention to real investment prospects.
According to her, the forums will demonstrate the strength of Ghana’s free zones programme while highlighting the country’s readiness to support export-oriented industries, industrial transformation and long-term investor partnerships.
Mr Sylvester Adinam Mensah also expressed confidence that the engagements would create new opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, boost investor confidence and accelerate the growth of value-added exports.
By bringing together investment promotion, trade development, industrial facilitation and export expansion under one coordinated platform, the Invest Ghana Business Forums and Exhibitions are expected to strengthen Ghana’s visibility among global investors and decision-makers.
Beyond the excitement of football, Ghana sees the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a strategic economic opportunity. The country hopes to use the tournament to tell its investment story to international audiences, attract long-term capital and build partnerships that will support industrialisation, export diversification and private-sector growth.
Ultimately, the success of the initiative will be measured not by the attention it generates, but by its ability to translate global interest into concrete investment commitments, export deals and sustainable economic partnerships that deliver lasting benefits for Ghana.
