Ghana has called on Canadian investors to explore opportunities in the country’s industrial transformation agenda and position Ghana as a gateway to the African market.

The call was made at the Ghana-Canada Investment Forum held on June 15, 2026, at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

The forum brought together about 135 participants, including government officials, diplomats, business executives and investment stakeholders from Ghana and Canada to discuss trade, investment and economic partnerships between the two countries.

The event was organised by the GHFA Global Investment Forum Initiative in collaboration with Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa) and Kwakaf International.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa, Esther A. N. Cobbah, said Ghana’s long-standing relationship with Canada provided a strong foundation for deeper economic cooperation.

She referenced past collaborations, including technical support from Petro-Canada International Assistance Corporation to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and urged Canadian businesses to view Ghana as an entry point into Africa’s wider market.

“Ghana is a stepping stone towards a wider engagement with the African continent,” she said, adding that Canada had an opportunity to build strong partnerships across both Anglophone and Francophone Africa.

The keynote address was delivered by Ras Mubarak, Founder and Leader of the Pan African Initiative Promoting a Visa-Free Africa by 2030, on behalf of the Chief of Staff to President John Dramani Mahama, Dr Julius Debrah.

He highlighted the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, which seeks to expand productive hours in key sectors including manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, energy and tourism.

“Ghana is open for business like never before,” he said, inviting Canadian investors to provide capital, technology and expertise to support the initiative.

He noted that Ghana offered investors access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market of more than 1.5 billion people.

The forum also featured discussions on investment opportunities, economic reforms, supply chain innovations, diaspora engagement and the role of tourism in driving economic growth.

Speakers included David Harley, Board Chair of The Asili Initiative and CEO/Co-Founder of ThirdWay Capital; Professor Nii Odoi Yemoh, Executive Director of Reality Capital Management; Saneca Grant Asare, Founder and Fractional CFO of Grant Asare Advisory Group; and Canadian-based AI Governance Specialist Stacy Ann Berry.

Panelists stressed the need for strong financial management, credible partnerships and improved artificial intelligence literacy among Ghana’s youth to support the country’s development goals.

Sponsors of the forum, Universal Merchant Bank and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), were recognised for supporting initiatives aimed at promoting Ghana’s investment opportunities globally.

The event ended with a cocktail and deal room networking session, where Ghanaian and Canadian participants explored possible business partnerships.

Organisers said follow-up engagements with Canadian investors and members of the Ghanaian diaspora in Canada would be held in the coming months to build on the discussions.

Following the investment forum, organisers hosted the Canada Royal Gala in honour of His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, with proceeds supporting the Ga Mantse Foundation’s cultural preservation and philanthropic initiatives.