Invest Africa will once again host a half day investment conference with our country partner, Ghana, on Tuesday 14th September from 09.00-15.00.

During this half day session, you can expect to hear from key ministers of trade, finance, energy and agriculture as well as several panel sessions which will focus in on the investment opportunities in country.

09:00 – 09:10 |  Welcome

  • Rt. Hon. Mark Simmonds, Chairman of the Advisory Board, Invest Africa

09:10 – 09:20 | Keynote Address

09:20 – 09:30 | Address from the Central Bank Governor

  • Dr Ernest Kwamina Addison, Governor, Central Bank of Ghana

09:35 – 10:30 | Panel Session 1 - Developing Local Financial Services and Capital Markets

Deep and developed financial services are an essential pillar of economic growth. On the back of strong economic performances (Africa’s fastest growing economy avoided contraction in 2020 with a return to 4% growth projected for 2021) and a successful IMF programme, Ghana has been able to tap into global markets to withstand of the costs of the crisis and invest in growth. In March 2021, the country raised $3billion on the international debt market in an issuance that was twice oversubscribed. The Ministry of Finance has now set clear aims to develop local financial services, reducing dependency on foreign debt markets. In a EUR 170 million loan from the European Investment Bank set up the creation of the Development Bank of Ghana. Meanwhile the Capital Market Master Plan outlines a blueprint to position the domestic capital market as a cheaper option for businesses and improve the business environment generally. In this session we will explore how financial service providers can take advantage of recent developments in the sector and build out the country’s finance ecosystem.

Moderator:

  • Yvonne Ike, Managing Director & Head of Sub Saharan Africa (Ex-RSA), Bank of America

Speakers:

  • Ibukun Adebayo, Director, Africa & South Asia Strategy, Capital Markets, London Stock Exchange

  • Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Director, Africa Finance Corporation

  • Ayo Salami, Chief Investment Officer, Emerging Markets Investment Management Limited

  • Mikir Shah, CEO, Africa Speciality Risks

10:35 – 10:45 | Networking Break

10:45 – 11:00 | Address from Minister of Food and Agriculture

11:00 – 12:00 | Panel Session 2 - The African Approach: Transformation through Agriculture?

Agriculture is a key sector in the Ghanaian economy, accounting for 19.7% of the country’s GDP and 33.5% of the labour force. Despite supplying nearly one fifth of the cocoa used by the $130 billion a year chocolate industry, for example, Ghana only sees annual revenues of $2 billion for the crop. Transitioning to sustainable agricultural systems is imperative to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Throughout African markets, public-private partnerships are essential to ensure food security and job creation, as well as supporting economic development through the limited pool of concessionary funding made available to Africa’s agriculture sector. This panel will engage Africa’s agricultural thought leaders and change makers as we debate what challenges both the public and private sector find when scaling projects in Africa’s agricultural sectors. We will look at the role multinationals and DFIs play in the funding chain and how blended finance can better attract investment and support the agri-focussed SMEs operating across the Continent.

Speakers:

12:00 - 12:15 | Address from the Minister of Trade and Industry

  • Hon. Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry

12:15 – 13:15 | Panel Session 3 - Growth for Development: Investing in Ghana’s Trade and Industry

Ghana is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. The launch of ‘Ghana beyond Aid’ in 2018 set out clear objectives to create jobs, improve access to basic services and boost economic growth, all of which are vital to reducing poverty. Ghana has set out an ambitious industrial transformation agenda, focusing on driving big ticket anchor investment into priority ‘backbone’ sectors, including in Automotive, Pharmaceuticals and Textiles & Garments, as powerful engines of job creation, inclusive growth and poverty reduction. This panel will focus on the role of trade, investment and industrialisation in driving positive impact – enduring social, economic and environmental value – drawing on Ghana’s recent success stories and burgeoning investment potential as the ‘Gateway to West Africa’ and secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Discussion points:

• Where are the ‘big ticket’ industrial anchor investment opportunities in Ghana right now?

• What are some recent investment ‘success stories’ in Ghana’s priority ‘backbone’ industrial sectors?

• How is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) contributing to inclusive industrial growth, job creation and positive impact in Ghana?

• What learnings, lessons and challenges can be shared from Ghana’s investment-led industrial transformation experience so far?

• What has/ is Ghana doing differently to its neighbours to proactively drive investment into priority ‘backbone’ industrial sectors?  

• What is the role of regional and continental trade blocks (e.g. ECOWAS and AfCFTA) and Ghana as ‘the Gateway to West Africa’?

• What social, economic and environmental considerations can help put inclusivity and sustainability at the heart of industrialisation?

13:15 | Lunch

13:45 | Address from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC)

14:00 | Investing in Africa: Investment Promotion Agencies Panel

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining and increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) flows is a priority for Africa. From energy and infrastructure to agriculture and health, a number of high-growth sectors are open for investment and private-public partnerships. In this session investment promotion agencies from across the Continent will outline their priority sectors and offer insights into the measures taken to improve business environments.

  • Kamal Shah, Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP

  • Ken Poonoosamy, CEO, Economic Development Board

  • Mukula Masaka, Director General, Zambia Development Agency

  • Zephanie Niyonkuru, Deputy CEO, Rwanda Development Board

  • Yofi Grant, CEO, GIPC

15:00 | Closing Remarks

Check out 2020’s Angola Investment Forum highlights below: