President John Dramani Mahama has placed Ghana’s energy sector at the heart of his $10 billion “Big Push” economic transformation plan, calling on Japanese investors to take advantage of the country’s surplus power generation and regional market access.
Speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IX), Mahama said Ghana had built a strong foundation in energy through hydropower and gas-to-power production, making it one of the most reliable power suppliers in West Africa.
“Our thermal plants are being run on gas, and new gas fields are being brought into operation,” Mahama explained. “Because we are members of the West African Power Pool, our transmission systems are interconnected with neighbouring countries. Any excess power we produce can be sold across borders at competitive costs. This gives Ghana a comparative advantage in energy.”
The president stressed that energy security and affordable electricity were central to Ghana’s industrialisation drive, positioning the country as a manufacturing hub for Africa. He noted that the $10bn “Big Push” programme would fund infrastructure, industrial development, and agro-processing, but its success depended on reliable and competitive power supply.
President Mahama urged Japanese businesses to explore joint ventures and partnerships in energy infrastructure, renewables, and power distribution, highlighting that Ghana’s stable democracy and strategic position as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) made it the ideal entry point for regional energy trade.
Beyond energy, Mahama also outlined opportunities in agribusiness and automobile manufacturing, citing Ghana’s abundant arable land, growing consumer market, and investor-friendly reforms. He announced that the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act had been reviewed to remove minimum capital requirements for smaller investors, allowing more participation from international businesses.
“Let us marry Japanese precision with Ghanaian potential and create a win-win situation for ourselves,” Mahama told the forum, adding that Ghana remained open for business “24 hours a day.”