A forthcoming report by the global research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) will chart Ghana’s efforts to enhance its investment environment through a raft of incentives and reforms.

The Report: Ghana 2018 will explore the new administration’s bid to promote industrialisation, especially in the manufacturing segment, where a drive to boost capacity is under way.

The key role that membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) can play in helping the country to strengthen trade links and access new markets is also examined. Other issues analysed will include Ghana’s plans to leverage new technology and bolster connectivity as a means of heightening business activity.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has signed a further memorandum of understanding (MoU) with OBG for its forthcoming publication. Under the MoU, the GIPC, which is a longstanding partner of OBG, will contribute to the group’s research for The Report: Ghana 2018.

Commenting after the signing, R. Yofi Grant, CEO, GIPC, said that the centre was working to improve Ghana’s competitiveness and business climate, both independently and within ECOWAS, by benchmarking it against international best practices. In addition to pursuing macroeconomic stability, Ghana is also repositioning to be an economic hub for West Africa.

“One of Ghana’s primary goals in attracting investment is stimulating value added in multiple sectors which, in turn, will produce a number of benefits, ranging from increased employment to capital accumulation,” he said. “I look forward to exploring these and other developments that are helping to drive Ghana’s economy forward and once again sharing our findings with Oxford Business Group’s team.”

OBG’s country director, Shadeh Van Esch, said she was confident that GIPC’s input would, as before, give investors a valuable understanding of emerging opportunities across all sectors, and recent improvements to the country’s business climate.

“Ghana’s efforts to facilitate investment are beginning to yield results, with the country ranking top among the West African nations for doing business, according to the 2017 Ease of Doing Business Report,” she said. “The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre plays a pivotal part in encouraging, promoting and facilitating inflows into the country, working to create an attractive incentive framework for businesses. I’m delighted that our team will once again benefit from the centre’s insight as we begin work on this important report.”

The Report: Ghana 2018 will be a vital guide to the many facets of the country, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication will also contain contributions from leading representatives. The report will be available in print and online.

About Oxford Business Group

Oxford Business Group is a global research and consultancy company with a presence in over 35 countries, from Africa, Asia and the Middle East to the Americas. A distinctive and respected provider of on-the-ground intelligence on many of the world’s fastest growing markets, OBG has offices in London, Berlin, Dubai and Istanbul, and a network of local bureaus across the countries in which we operate.

The Report: Ghana 2018 will be produced with the GIPC, A&B David and Association of Ghana Industries. Through its range of products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, tourism, energy, transport, industry and ICT. OBG provides business intelligence to its subscribers through multiple platforms: Economic News and Views, OBG Business Barometer - CEO Survey, Roundtables and Conferences, Global Platform - exclusive video interviews, The Report publications and Consultancy division.