AmCham Ghana Meets Acadia Industries Limited (Tampico) on Local Manufacturing & Trade Expansion

Recently, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana held a high-level engagement with the leadership of Acadia Industries Limited (Tampico)  as part of our ongoing Listening Tour Series, to strategically discuss support for the FMCG sector members of the Chamber.

 

The discussion centered on key figures from Interbrands: Group CEO, Mr. Fouad Moufarrej, and Lead Consultant, Aps. Dr. Ampofo-Dollar. The core agenda focused on expanding the U.S.–Ghana commercial relationship through the import of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), local manufacturing capabilities, and innovation in consumer products.

 

Discussions focused on Interbrands’ strategic plans, which includes a major commitment to deepen their U.S. partnerships and transition into local production by 2026. This initiative is underpinned by a significant investment: a new $35–50 million facility under development in Apollonia City, slated for completion by 2027. This move is particularly impactful given that Interbrands, a key importer and distributor of popular American brands such as Tampico, Ensure, Welch’s, and Macari, currently imports a substantial 70–80% of its product portfolio from the U.S.

 

AmCham Ghana is committed to spotlighting Interbrands’ remarkable progress across its initiatives and communications platforms, engaging them in forthcoming discussions, including involving them meaningfully in key upcoming events such as the CEO Roundtable and ADM showcases. We applaud Interbrands Ghana for its instrumental contribution to advancing U.S.–Ghana business partnerships and look forward to deepening our collaboration.

AmCham Ghana Engages United Airlines Leadership in Strategic Talks

Yesterday, AmCham Ghana hosted a familiarization roundtable at its offices, bringing together the Chamber’s new CEO, Ms. Doris Afanyedey, and senior leaders from United Airlines and Brussels Airlines to explore areas of collaboration and partnership.

The meeting brought together Oluwatomi Bola-Sadipe, United Airlines’ Country Manager for Nigeria, Ghana & South Africa, Matilda Hammond, Sales Account Manager, and Ilse Adriaen, Country Manager representing Brussels Airlines.

Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration and exploring areas of mutual interest, including active participation in AmCham Ghana’s programs and strategic initiatives for 2026. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening partnership through regular engagement, shared initiatives, and sustained support for AmCham’s mission to foster U.S.–Ghana business relations.

United Airlines has deepened its strategic footprint in Ghana through a measurable capacity enhancement. Effective with the 2024–2025 winter schedule, the carrier upscaled its Accra–Washington Dulles service from three weekly rotations to a daily frequency, marking a 67 percent year-on-year uplift in seat capacity and reaffirming its commitment to the trans-Atlantic corridor. The route is operated by the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, featuring a 243-seat, four-cabin configuration, comprising 28 Polaris Business, 21 Premium Plus, 36 Economy Plus, and 158 Standard Economy seats, positioning United to deliver enhanced connectivity, premium service segmentation, and operational efficiency within the West African aviation market

AmCham CEO’s listening tour to Johnson & Johnson Ghana.

As part of our Listening Tour Series, AmCham Ghana held a strategic dialogue with our member, Johnson & Johnson-Ghana (J&J) last week. The discussion hosted by Mr. Emmanuel Antwi, Country Manager- Ghana, focused on deepening collaboration to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system, with particular emphasis on prostate cancer and mental health, especially schizophrenia.

Through partnerships with the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Cancer Foundation, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, J&J continues to promote awareness, early detection of prostate cancer, and mental well-being initiatives across Ghana.

 

Additionally, AmCham indicated commitment to fostering stronger engagement between American companies and key government agencies through a US–Ghana Commercial Dialogue, aimed at enhancing healthcare system strengthening and access to innovation. This initiative aligns with AmCham’s broader mission of building partnerships that drive sustainable health impacts and support Ghana’s social and economic development.’

AmCham Meets GNBCC to Drive Joint Advocacy and Bilateral Trade

Last Tuesday, our CEO, Doris Afanyedey, led an AmCham Ghana delegation to a productive meeting with the Ghana Netherlands Business & Culture Council (GNBCC). She was joined by Jane Okyere Aduachie (Membership & External Relations) and Albert Ludwig (Communications), and the team was warmly received by GNBCC’s General Manager, Hilda Famaey, and HR & Operations Manager, Naana Biney Ohemeng.

 

The session went beyond a typical meeting, becoming a strategic working discussion on how our organizations can better serve our business community together. We examined collaborative efforts to address shared challenges such as tax certainty and enhancing trade for our members, as well as enhancing practical support for companies expanding or establishing operations in Ghana.

With the global shift from aid to trade, both sides emphasized the need to invest in high-value, fee-based services and to create smoother pathways for businesses, connecting them with the right partners to drive sustainable growth.

Breakfast Meeting with the University at Buffalo School of Management on AI in Business

Earlier today, Doris Afanyedey, Chief Executive Officer of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana (AmCham Ghana), hosted a breakfast meeting with Professor Ananth Iyer, Dean of the University at Buffalo School of Management, and Dr. Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, Clinical Associate Professor and Faculty Director of Global Programs. The session convened AmCham Ghana members within the technology and fintech sectors, including Jason Hickey, Senior Research Scientist at Google, alongside representatives from General Electric, Global Media Alliance, eServices Africa, Yellow Card, and Oracle, for a high-level dialogue on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in driving innovation, operational efficiency, and policy advancement.

Professor Iyer delivered a compelling presentation on the practical integration of AI across industries, anchored on a four-step framework — Extract, Integrate, Analyze, and Innovate. He demonstrated how open-source AI tools can synthesize vast datasets, reports, and multimedia content into actionable insights, streamlining research and decision-making processes. Drawing from real-world applications, he illustrated how AI can optimize productivity in sectors such as agriculture and supply chain management, referencing Ghana’s cocoa value chain and the U.S. government–funded Supply Chain Activation Network, which leverages AI to enhance collaboration between manufacturers and suppliers.

A key highlight of the engagement came from Google’s Senior Research Scientist, Jason Hickey, who announced that all students across Africa will receive free access to Google’s AI Pro platform. This initiative aims to democratize access to advanced AI resources, promote digital literacy, and empower Africa’s next generation of innovators with the skills and tools required to thrive in the evolving digital economy. The announcement was met with enthusiastic commendation from participants, who recognized its potential to accelerate Africa’s participation in global technological advancement.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Afanyedey reaffirmed AmCham Ghana’s commitment to fostering strategic partnerships between academia, industry, and government to advance AI adoption, ethical governance, and capacity development. She emphasized that AmCham will continue to serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration that enables businesses to harness emerging technologies for sustainable growth. The session concluded with a networking breakfast, generously sponsored by AmCham member KFC Ghana, providing participants with an opportunity to further engage and exchange ideas on collaborative pathways toward a digitally empowered future.

AmCham Ghana Hosts U.S. Institutional Investors for High-Level Dialogues in Accra

AmCham Ghana, in a strategic co-convening capacity with the Institutional Investor Network (IIN), last Wednesday facilitated a high-conviction delegation of U.S.-based institutional Limited Partners (LPs) for a series of granular, closed-door dialogues in Accra. The session was architected to de-risk and catalyze capital allocation into Ghana’s project pipeline, with a strategic focus on the critical minerals value chain and the structuring of bankable, ESG-compliant opportunities.

The convening assembled a cross-functional cohort of public sector stakeholders, General Partners (GPs), and corporates to perform a deep-dive on Ghana’s gold sector reform trajectory and to leverage its nascent downstream processing capabilities, thereby positioning the jurisdiction as a strategic enabler of the global energy transition and tech infrastructure build-out.

Core Vertical Focus and Market Positioning

The discourse was characterized by its focus on alpha generation and strategic market entry. A primary vertical was the critical minerals and technology nexus, where speakers underscored Ghana’s role in the strategic materials supply chain, essential for semiconductor fabrication, energy storage solutions, and compute infrastructure. Mr. Richmond, CEO of Energy Resources Company, provided a granular analysis of the gold sector, emphasizing the significant arbitrage opportunity presented by formalizing the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) segment and creating vertically integrated local champions to capture more of the value-at-stake.

A parallel session on domestic capital mobilization conducted a forensic examination of Ghana’s pension and insurance asset base. The dialogue centered on tactical asset allocation (TAA) shifts, advocating for a strategic overlay to increase weightings in alternatives and listed equities, contingent upon regulatory modernization. The concept of creating multi-jurisdiction, securitized vehicles and exploring asset tokenization was tabled as a mechanism to achieve the requisite scale and liquidity for global capital deployment. A core tension identified was the capacity-policy misalignment, with a call to action for upskilling trustee boards on private market valuation and monitoring, concurrent with a liberalization of offshore remittance limits and concentration thresholds to optimize the efficient frontier for local institutional investors.

Execution Framework and Forward Integration

The forum was explicitly designed as a springboard for capital formation and deal origination. AmCham Ghana is now operationalizing the outputs through a multi-pronged execution framework. This involves the systematic synthesis of key takeaways into an investable opportunity brief, followed by active facilitation of bespoke commercial diplomacy between aligned LPs, GPs, and project sponsors, including coordinating technical site due diligence and regulatory interface. The Chamber will further leverage its convening power to drive sector-specific working groups focused on derisking capital stacks for critical minerals beneficiation and structuring blended finance vehicles to crowd-in domestic pension capital.

The proceedings culminated in a curated investor dinner, fostering high-value, peer-level engagement to translate commercial intent into binding term sheets.

The overarching market signal emanating from the dialogue is that Ghana represents a compelling strategic allocation for investors seeking non-correlated, value-add exposure in a reform-oriented, transparent jurisdiction poised for exponential growth.

For proprietary deal flow access or to engage with the working groups, please contact the AmCham Ghana Secretariat.

Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra Appoints Silvia Rajniak as Its First Female General Manager

Ghana’s premier five-star luxury hotel has made history with the appointment of its first female General Manager. With more than 16 years of distinguished hospitality experience, Silvia Rajniak re-joins Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra as its visionary leader, poised to elevate the guest experience to new heights of excellence.

Silvia’s journey with Kempinski began in 2009 as Personal Assistant to the General Manager. Her remarkable rise through senior roles across Europe and Africa reflects her passion, determination and unwavering commitment to service excellence.

Over the years, Silvia has held several executive positions, including her previous role as Hotel Manager of Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra. Most recently, she served as General Manager at Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay in Egypt. Her deep operational expertise and transformational leadership uniquely position her to further strengthen Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra’s reputation as an ultra-luxury hospitality icon.

‘Ghana has always felt like home,’ said Silvia Rajniak on her return to Accra. ‘I am honoured to take on the role of General Manager. Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra is very close to my heart, and with the support of our wonderful team, I am confident we will take this property to new heights.’

 

With 269 elegant rooms and suites, Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City remains Ghana’s leading luxury hospitality brand, setting the benchmark for accommodation and service quality within the nation’s growing tourism and hospitality sector. Earlier this year, the hotel launched the celebration of its 10th anniversary with a series exciting initiatives designed to express gratitude to its employees, partners and the local community. Highlights have included the opening of ASANA Bar & Kitchen, a new Asian-fusion restaurant and bar, as well as CSR initiatives under its ‘10 Acts of Kindness’ programme.

 

-ENDS-

About Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra is a luxury lifestyle destination that has been designed to offer the highest standards of European luxury with the remarkable warmth and hospitality that Ghanaians are renowned for. The hotel features 269 rooms, including luxury suites and presidential suites. Ideally located in downtown Accra, the hotel is within close proximity to the State House, the Accra International Conference Centre and the National Theatre.

About Kempinski: Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski’s rich heritage of impeccable personal service and superb hospitality is complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its properties. Today the Kempinski Group operates 75 hotels and residences in 33 countries and currently has more than 25 prestigious projects under development around the globe. Each five-star hotel reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage; each one imbues the quality guests have come to expect from Kempinski while embracing the cultural traditions of its location. The portfolio comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, outstanding resorts and prestigious residences. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. www.kempinski.com www.ghadiscovery.comwww.kempinski.com www.ghadiscovery.com

 

Media contacts:

Theodora M. Yebuah · Marketing Manager

Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra

PMB 66 – Ministries · Gamel Abdul Nasser Avenue, Ridge · Accra · Ghana

T +233 24 243 6000 · theodora.yebuah@kempinski.com

Ghana–U.S. Executive Dialogue Strengthens Investment Ties on the sidelines of UNGA 2025

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana (AmCham Ghana), convened a high-level U.S.–Ghana Executive Business Dialogue. The 25th September event was graced by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, who reaffirmed his government’s commitment to creating a more attractive and enabling environment for foreign investment in Ghana.

Renewed Commitment to Investment Reforms

In his remarks, President Mahama underscored reforms designed to open Ghana further to global investors. The comprehensive dialogue covered opportunities in energy, healthcare, mining, technology, and agriculture in Ghana, one of West Africa’s fastest-growing markets. The discussions underscored Ghana’s determination to strengthen U.S. commercial partnerships, with President Mahama reaffirming his campaign message that the country is “open for business.”

He emphasized the removal of minimum capital requirements for foreign entry (except for sectors reserved for Ghanaians), the ongoing digital transformation of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to enable 24-hour business registration, and the planned introduction of electronic visas from 2026. These measures, he stressed, will ease the process of doing business and position Ghana as the “gateway to Africa” for U.S. investors.

Business Leaders Engage on Opportunities

The roundtable brought together leading American multinationals and Ghanaian corporate leaders across energy, aviation, technology, healthcare, and financial services. Discussions centered on deepening partnerships, expanding trade and investment flows, and addressing shared challenges in the business environment. Companies welcomed the government’s reforms and expressed optimism about the opportunities to scale their investments in Ghana.

For U.S. firms, the discussions signal a stronger and more predictable investment climate in Ghana, backed by the President’s commitment to reforms. The removal of capital entry requirements for most sectors lowers barriers for new entrants, while the push toward 24-hour business registration and future e-visas reduces friction for cross-border operations.

Trade policy is also central. The possible renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) will ensure continued duty-free access to the U.S. market, which is vital for Ghanaian exports and, by extension, for U.S. firms building supply chains and joint ventures in the country. Meanwhile, Ghana’s role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat gives U.S. companies a strategic hub into Africa’s 1.4-billion-person market.

Sector by sector, opportunities are opening. In energy and mining, U.S. technology and service providers can partner with Ghana to modernize infrastructure and drive sustainable practices. In healthcare, demand for pharmaceuticals, digital health solutions, and advanced

medical equipment remains high. Agriculture and agribusiness present avenues for U.S. firms to apply innovation across supply chains. And in technology, Ghana’s youthful population and digital transformation create fertile ground for American innovation and investment.

Ultimately, the roundtable reinforced that Ghana is positioning itself as the entry point for U.S. companies into Africa. For American businesses, this is both a market opportunity and a strategic imperative: those who move early will be best placed to shape and benefit from the continent’s next wave of grow

AmCham Ghana’s Role

As the convener on the Ghana side, AmCham Ghana facilitated candid exchanges between policymakers and the private sector. The Chamber reaffirmed its role as a trusted partner that connects U.S. businesses to Ghana’s opportunities, while ensuring that members’ concerns are constructively addressed through advocacy and dialogue. The event further highlighted the Chamber’s growing influence as a neutral platform that strengthens U.S.–Ghana economic relations.

AmCham Ghana is uniquely positioned to serve as the bridge between U.S. businesses and Ghana’s evolving investment landscape. At the New York roundtable, the Chamber played a convening role—bringing the President, senior policymakers, and corporate leaders into one room for frank and solution-oriented dialogue.

Going forward, AmCham’s role will be threefold:

1. Advocacy – ensuring that the concerns of U.S. investors are voiced at the highest levels of government, particularly on regulatory clarity, taxation, and trade policy.

2. Facilitation – creating platforms where members can explore partnerships, expand into new sectors, and connect with Ghana’s AfCFTA advantage as a regional gateway. It will also facilitate a U.S. Ghana Commercial dialogue with key Ministries and Agencies to provide members with a formalized high level platform to influence policy and gain insights to the Ghana’s evolving economy

3. Support – equipping member companies with practical tools, market intelligence, and policy insights to reduce business risks and unlock opportunities.

In essence, AmCham Ghana will remain a trusted partner for U.S. companies, enabling them not just to enter the market but to thrive, while also strengthening Ghana’s position as a reliable investment destination in Africa

Looking Ahead

The success of the New York roundtable not only reaffirmed Ghana’s openness for business but also set the tone for sustained U.S.–Ghana cooperation. With a renewed focus on investment facilitation, digital reforms, and inclusive growth, the Chamber and its partners will continue to play a pivotal role in unlocking opportunities that benefit both economies.

As the President succinctly put it, “Ghana is indeed open for business.