On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama called on American businesses to partner with Ghana in building a value-added, export-driven economy. He was delivered the keynote address at the U.S.-Ghana Presidential Roundtable, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, and the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority at the Nasdaq MarketSite during UNGA 81.

The President noted that Ghana has long produced cocoa, gold, minerals and other commodities, but too much of that value has left the country unprocessed. Using cocoa as an example, he said Ghana is one of the world’s leading producers yet has historically exported raw beans. He pointed to significant opportunities in processing into chocolate, cocoa butter and other food products. That processing, he said, would create markets for farmers, work for processors and suppliers, and jobs across the value chain.

The priority sectors he highlighted at last year’s engagement remain open: agriculture and agribusiness, energy, mining, health and technology. The sharper focus now, he said, is on adding value within them.

President Mahama outlined incentives for qualifying businesses, including duty-free import of plant and equipment and faster clearance procedures at the ports. He said production growth would open further opportunities in transport, logistics, warehousing, cold-chain facilities and digital services. He also stressed that reliable energy is essential for manufacturers to scale up operations.

Technology was identified as another major frontier. The President cited opportunities in digital infrastructure, data centres, artificial intelligence and financial technology.

The President reminded investors that Ghana’s domestic market is only part of the opportunity. Ghana hosts the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which brings together a continental market of more than 1.4 billion people. As a result, companies that produce in Ghana can serve West Africa and the wider continent.

He added that Ghana is preparing to assume the chairmanship of the African Union. Ghana intends to use that role to champion infrastructure, industrialisation and regional integration, all areas where American businesses have strong expertise.

President Mahama noted that trade between the two countries in goods and services has reached approximately $4.6 billion. He also noted that Ghana has benefited from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for more than two decades. The next chapter of the relationship, he said, must put greater emphasis on trade, investment and technology. He cited Ghana’s political stability and strategic location in West Africa as key advantages for American companies.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) followed the keynote with a video presentation on Ghana’s investment landscape. The video invited investors to form partnerships grounded in mutual respect and shared prosperity. It framed this moment as the time to move from conversations to commitments.

The roundtable followed by the Nasdaq Closing Bell ceremony and bilateral meetings between the President and senior executives of the US Chamber and AmCham Ghana

On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, rang the Closing Bell at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square on Wednesday. The ceremony was hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana and the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).

The ceremony carried a clear message to global markets: Ghana is open for business. Against the backdrop of one of the world’s most recognisable financial landmarks, the moment symbolised the strength of economic ties between the United States and Ghana. It also signalled Ghana’s ambition to position itself as a leading destination for American capital and enterprise.

The bell ringing was followed by a U.S.-Ghana Presidential Roundtable. The roundtable convened 100 business leaders, chamber representatives and senior Ghana government officials to exchange views on Ghana’s economic priorities and the role of the private sector in delivering growth, jobs and investment. President Mahama presented his economic vision to senior U.S. business leaders and set out opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, energy, technology and health.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana (AmCham Ghana) joined its partners in welcoming the occasion. The Chamber described the event as a powerful endorsement of Ghana’s investment story on a global stage.

“Seeing Ghana’s President close the trading day at Nasdaq sends a strong signal to investors that Ghana is indeed ready to do business,” said Doris Kafui Afanyedey CEO of AmCham Ghana. AmCham Ghana will keep working with our members and partners to turn this visibility into investment, jobs and lasting commercial partnerships.”

Earlier today, 17 September, 2026, the U.S. Treasury delegation, led by Alex Leipziger, Director, Africa Office, U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Trina Rand, Delegation Member, U.S. Department of the Treasury, together with Andy Winkleman, Economic Counselor, and Rachel Kriessl, Senior Commercial Consular, met with Doris Afanyedey, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, and a cross section of members to have an engagement on the investment landscape and regulatory environment for U.S. investment in Ghana and also to explore how best the United States can attract more investment into the Republic of Ghana.

Members welcomed the improving macroeconomic outlook and the government’s more open posture toward private-sector engagement, while also using the opportunity to share candid, on-the-ground perspectives on the business environment, including regulatory predictability and the broader conditions needed to sustain and grow U.S. investment in Ghana. The Chamber looks forward to continued engagement with both the U.S. Government and the Government of Ghana to strengthen the conditions for U.S.–Ghana trade and investment.

AmCham Ghana hosted Rostand Njomgang, West and Central Africa Regional leader for Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications technology provider marking thirty years of continuous presence in Ghana this year, for a meeting centred on the company’s interest in joining the Chamber. The Chamber’s team walked Ericsson’s leadership through its structure and value proposition, including its network of more than 150 member companies, of which roughly 70 percent are American or American-affiliated, and its close working relationship with the Economic, Commercial and Public Affairs sections of the U.S. Embassy, whose heads sit on the Chamber’s board.

Ericsson’s leadership pointed to the Chamber’s six sector committees, and in particular its Information and Communication Technology committee, as a key motivation for exploring membership. The committee has engaged government stakeholders on pending ICT-related legislation since its first meeting in November 2025 and coordinates advocacy positions with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, including on emerging regulatory developments such as a National Communications Authority framework under consideration to encourage greater diversification among telecommunications technology providers. Ericsson’s team also welcomed the Chamber’s broader suite of member services, from company registration support to inbound and outbound trade missions.

Following the meeting, AmCham Ghana agreed to share full details of its membership tiers, including its Platinum tier, as Ericsson considers formalising its participation. The Chamber looks forward to Ericsson’s continued interest and to welcoming its perspective within the growing ICT sector community, should the company decide to join.

Last Thursday, 10 September, 2026, the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, hosted a delegation conducting an OECD-affiliated fact-finding mission on Ghana’s investment climate, contributing member perspectives to a forthcoming report for the Government of Ghana. The engagement is being coordinated through the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA), newly reconstituted under the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Act, 2026 (Act 1173), which serves as the project’s main focal point. The Chamber welcomed the opportunity to participate in a process that will combine the mission’s findings with comparative international examples and recommendations to further strengthen Ghana’s investment climate.

The Chamber’s contribution recognized a positive trajectory in Ghana’s investment environment, citing improved fiscal discipline, a stronger cedi, and a more responsive government as encouraging developments for American investors. AmCham Ghana noted with appreciation the reforms introduced under Act 1173, including the removal of the general minimum capital requirement, and highlighted the role of its six sector committees in channelling member insights constructively to institutional partners, including the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Data Protection Commission and the Business Regulatory Reform Secretariat, all of whom the Chamber commended for their openness to stakeholder consultation.

AmCham Ghana also identified areas where continued collaboration with GIPA and other government partners could further enhance the investment environment, including visa facilitation, timelines for payment on public contracts, and transparency in procurement processes. The Chamber outlined complementary initiatives of its own, including a proposed trade service desk, a research desk and an early-stage investor dispute resolution facility, and expressed appreciation to GIPA, the mission team and all stakeholders involved for the consultative spirit of the engagement, reaffirming its commitment to working alongside government to build on this progress

Last Thursday, our CEO, Doris Kafui Afanyedey, along with representatives from the US Embassy and our membership, met at the National Communication Authority Tower to provide input on the Draft Data Protection Bill.

This draft Bill aims to replace the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843). It introduces enhanced provisions to establish the Data Protection Commission as an authority and strengthen the legal framework for protecting and responsibly processing personal data.

Furthermore, it outlines the rights and obligations of data subjects, data controllers, data processors, and includes measures to promote compliance with data protection requirements. The meeting’s objective is to allow stakeholders to offer further comments and feedback on the current draft Bill’s provisions.

Last Friday, September 4, 2026, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana), Doris Kafui Afanyedey, joined the Global Mandate Economic Summit at the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum and Library Complex in Accra to deliver a comprehensive overview of Ghana’s investment landscape and AmCham’s role in deepening U.S.–Ghana business ties.

Held under the summit’s theme, “The Kingdom Has Been Summoned,” the program connected more than 50 diaspora investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders to drive real estate investment, local innovation and stable, sustainable economic growth across Africa. Addressing the gathering, Doris described it as a privilege to represent AmCham Ghana at a summit bringing together the very partners driving the continent’s economic transformation.

“For nearly four decades, AmCham Ghana has been a trusted link between Ghana and the United States business community,” she said. “We advocate for policies that protect investments and create opportunities for collaboration between Ghana and America.”

Doris told delegates that the conversation about Africa has fundamentally shifted. “The question is no longer whether Africa presents opportunities,” she noted. “The question is how we connect those opportunities, capital, expertise and strategic partnerships.”

Ghana as a gateway for business

Ms. Doris positioned Ghana as one of the most attractive investment destinations on the continent, citing the country’s strategic location, entrepreneurial talent, democratic stability and access to regional markets as key differentiators for investors weighing where to build.

Ms. Doris also highlighted the strength of AmCham’s continental network, noting affiliated American Chambers across Africa, including several in West Africa, hat give U.S. companies a coordinated entry point into the region, with Ghana positioned as a natural hub.

How AmCham supports investors

Ms. Doris outlined AmCham Ghana’s role in actively supporting U.S. companies looking to invest, expand and do business in Ghana, by providing market access, business connections, policy engagement and introductions to trusted local partners. She pointed to opportunities across agribusiness, energy, manufacturing, technology, insurance and services as sectors ripe for U.S. investment and partnership.

A call for partnership

Ms. Doris closed her remarks with a call for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector, describing partnership as the engine of investment, innovation and shared prosperity. “Whether you are an American company looking to enter the market, an investor seeking credible local partners, or a Ghanaian business looking to connect with American partners, AmCham is ready to support you,” she said. “Our goal is to help turn partnership into investment, and investment into sustainable growth.”

About AmCham Ghana

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana) is the premier business association dedicated to promoting U.S.–Ghana trade, investment and cultural relations, providing a platform for advocacy, networking and knowledge-sharing among member companies and stakeholders.

On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana), Doris Kafui Afanyedey, held an engagement with Theodore J. Ruth, a Digital Policy Specialist, and Lauren Molina all of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, led by Rachel Kreissl, Commercial Counselor for the U.S. Commercial Service, from the U.S. Embassy in Accra.

The engagement formed part of AmCham Ghana’s ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Commercial Service to advance shared priorities around trade facilitation, investment promotion and advocacy on behalf of the American business community in Ghana.

Discussions centred on the Chamber’s advocacy priorities for the year, including engagement with key government agencies on regulatory and policy matters affecting member companies, and progress on the Chamber’s efforts to expand its sector-based committee structure to give members a stronger, more coordinated voice.

Both sides also discussed opportunities across Ghana’s technology and ICT sector, including the regulatory reforms currently before Parliament, as well as continued collaboration on trade facilitation programmes designed to connect U.S. companies with credible local partners and support their market entry and expansion in Ghana.

Ms. Doris reaffirmed AmCham Ghana’s commitment to working closely with the U.S. Commercial Service and the wider U.S. Embassy team to deepen commercial ties between the two countries, noting the value of continued, regular engagement in identifying practical ways to support American businesses operating in, or looking to enter, the Ghanaian market.

Both sides agreed to continue close coordination in the weeks ahead as part of a broader programme of stakeholder engagement between AmCham Ghana, its members, and U.S. government partners.

About AmCham Ghana The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana) is the premier business association dedicated to promoting U.S.–Ghana trade, investment and cultural relations, providing a platform for advocacy, networking and knowledge-sharing among member companies and stakeholders.