After a fortnight of quiet on market floors and in boardrooms during the end of 2025 holidays and accompanying festivities, key stakeholders across various sectors of Ghana\u2019s economy are gearing up to return with a renewed focus on translating policy traction into real business outcomes.<\/p>\n
The headwinds of a slower festive trading period are already fading from view as firms, as a result of various year end corporate retreats, have aligned strategies with government priorities designed to keep the economy active around the clock and across industries.<\/p>\n
At the heart of the buzz is the government\u2019s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, officially launched in mid-2025. The initiative aims to reposition Ghana\u2019s economy to \u201coperate at full productive capacity by extending economic activity beyond traditional hours\u201d and to turbo-charge export competitiveness through deeper value chains and market efficiency.<\/p>\n
Under the policy\u2019s design \u2014 supported by an investment envelope of about US$4 billion, with government laying US$300 million-US$400 million in seed capital and leveraging private sector participation \u2014 business leaders are planning to exploit business opportunities they are identifying in manufacturing, logistics, and agricultural processing, as the enterprises they run get ready to resume full activities from next week.<\/p>\n
With the national budget allocating GH\u00a2110 million for 24-Hour Economy implementation in 2026 and GH\u00a2245 million for agriculture and agro-industrial value chain development, the government has signaled continuity in support for private sector-led growth.<\/p>\n
Executives across industries have been reporting increased engagement with government bodies to align business plans with policy incentives over the past month. Margaret Ansei, CEO of the Ghana Enterprises Agency, has assured that the agency is positioning micro, small, and medium enterprises to scale production, improve packaging and meet export standards as part of 24-Hour Economy readiness.<\/p>\n
Thr government\u2019s Feed Ghana initiative is also generating strong business interest as 2025 transitions into 2026. Banks and financial institutions are lining up behind the agenda. Edward Ato Sarpong, Managing Director of Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) PLC, recently described the Feed Ghana initiative as \u201cprecisely the type of intervention that will motivate us to innovate, make deliberate investments, and accompany agribusinesses on their paths to growth and expansion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Feed Ghana initiative – a flagship programme under the broader agricultural transformation agenda – continues to resonate with corporates and small enterprise alike. Designed to enhance food production, strengthen value chains and reduce reliance on imports, Feed Ghana is expected to contribute not only to national food security but also to economic dynamism.<\/p>\n
The private sector is enthused by the commitment government has already shown. In 2025, government efforts saw direct interventions, such as the purchase of tomatoes and onions to support the programme in Asante Akim North, which not only reduced post-harvest losses but also supplied local institutions. Also, Feed Ghana\u2019s initial pilot of 500 acres of maize is set to expand to 2 000 acres by September 2026; and beyond primary production, government has backed projects such as a US$400 million integrated poultry and feed processing facility in the Ahafo Region, aimed at reducing the nation\u2019s poultry import bills while creating jobs and anchoring export capacity.<\/p>\n
These agricultural policy drivers have been welcomed by agribusiness financiers and industry bodies alike, even as calls persist for strengthening implementation at the district and local levels.<\/p>\n
Indeed, business leaders are urging swift and seamless execution of government\u2019s three flagship business initiatives. Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), has warned that operational success depends on reliable infrastructure, consistent regulation and enabling policies that reduce barriers to continuous production.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 24-Hour Economy isn\u2019t simply about longer hours of operation,\u201d said Davies Korboe, President of the Federation of Ghanaian Exporters. \u201cIt must enhance value addition and strengthen Ghana\u2019s capacity to produce for local consumption and exports. That focus is what will transform productivity.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many in the private sector, the policy\u2019s emphasis on production transformation, supply chain efficiency and human capital development offers a blueprint to boost output, employ more people and attract long-term investment. A Presidential Committee on Accelerated Export Development has been spearheading coordination between government and the private sector to translate these ambitions into actionable programmes.<\/p>\n
As Ghana transitions into an industrious 2026, the convergence of ambitious national programmes and private sector innovation could mark a defining chapter in its economic development. Business leaders return from the festive period with strategic plans to capitalize on new opportunities, expand into export markets and harness policy-backed incentives.<\/p>\n
With coordinated efforts between state and enterprise, Ghana is gearing up not just to restart the economy in January, but to redefine it \u2014 around the clock, across value chains and beyond borders.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
By Toma Imirhe<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After a fortnight of quiet on market floors and in boardrooms during the end of 2025 holidays and accompanying festivities, key stakeholders across various sectors of Ghana\u2019s economy are gearing up to return with a renewed focus on translating policy traction into real business outcomes. The headwinds of a slower festive trading period are already<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[2738,1348,2864,1140],"class_list":{"0":"post-10357","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy-and-finance","8":"tag-2026-budget","9":"tag-24-hour-economy","10":"tag-accelerated-export-development-programme","11":"tag-ghana-enterprises-agency-gea"},"yoast_head":"\n