Between 1994 and June 2025, the Ashanti Region attracted approximately $3.4 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) across 410 projects registered with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
The Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Simon Madjie, said the figure — which represented 6.5 per cent of the entire amount of $52.8 billion FDI that came into the country within the period — portrayed that much more remained to be unlocked in the region towards its economic transformation.
“The challenge has not been a lack of opportunities. Instead, many promising projects have failed to attract the attention of investors because they have not been clearly identified, properly packaged, and presented in a way that meets investor expectations,” he stressed.
The Greater-Accra Region placed first with $34.98 billion FDI, followed by the Western Region, which recorded $10.8 billion, with the Ashanti Region attracting the third highest FDI of $3.4 billion.
Mr Madjie made the remarks while addressing the Ashanti Regional Investment Forum in Kumasi last Wednesday, which sought to discuss investment opportunities in the region.
The GIPC, under its investment opportunity mapping project, is undertaking regional investment roadshows nationwide to highlight investment opportunities in the country.
Last year, the GIPC launched the Investment Opportunity Mapping Project (IOMP), a nationwide initiative to systematically identify, profile, and package investment opportunities across all 261 districts of Ghana.
It was on the theme: “Driving local investment — Unlocking regional potential: Mapping opportunities and mobilising growth in the Ashanti Region”.
Mr Madjie said the Ashanti Region also had a strong manufacturing base, a vibrant small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, a large consumer market, and one of the most dynamic entrepreneurial cultures in the country.
Beyond culture
Beyond its historical and cultural significance, he indicated that the region played an important role in Ghana’s domestic trade network, stressing that “it links the northern and southern parts of the country, and serves as an important transit route to several landlocked Sahelian markets, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad”.
“This strategic connectivity positions the region as a key gateway for regional commerce and cross-border trade,” he said.
Under the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme (24H+), Mr Madjie said the Kumasi Machinery and Technology Park (KMTP) had been earmarked as a flagship initiative, positioned to drive precision engineering, machine fabrication, and technology transfer to support agro-processing, textiles and light manufacturing.
“With the right investment, existing clusters can evolve into globally competitive industrial ecosystems,” he said, adding that GIPC would continue to provide the support, coordination, and facilitation needed to turn investment interest in this region into real, impactful projects.
Aligns
The Board Chairman of GIPC, Akwasi Opong-Fosu, said the initiative also aligned with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of a 24-Hour Economy, which aims to stimulate productivity, expand industrial activity, and create more employment opportunities for the people of Ghana.
However, he said, the success would depend on strong partnerships and that government institutions, private sector actors, development partners, and community leaders must work together to transform those opportunities into viable businesses that would drive economic progress.
“The Ashanti Region holds tremendous promise.
With the right partnerships and investments, it can become a leading centre of industrial growth and economic prosperity in Ghana,” Mr Opong-Fosu stated.
The Paramount Chief of the Offinso Traditional Area, Nana Dwamena Akenten II, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, said the region once possessed the Ghana Textiles Printing Company and Kumasi Shoe Factory that offered jobs for thousands of people.
The decline of these two institutions serves as an important reminder that economic progress requires constant renewal, adaptation and forward-thinking leadership,” he said.
He indicated that ongoing efforts to properly document and consolidate investment opportunities into a comprehensive investment outline would become a powerful tool for attracting capital and accelerating development in the region.
“As traditional custodians of the land, we emphasise that investment must be responsible, inclusive and sustainable.
Businesses that respect our communities , protect the environment and contribute to long-term development will always be welcomed,” he said.
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Source:
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