Why Ghana must move to a new era of trade, tourism, investment and shared prosperity

Moving from Friendship and Development Cooperation to a new Trade Era with Germany

There is a question I have been asked repeatedly over the past few years: “What is in Germany that you keep visiting?” I have travelled to Germany several times, including two recent visits between March and June this year. I have attended townhall meetings, participated in tourism trade shows and business engagements, visited institutions, interacted with businesses and professionals, and observed the German market closely. But my interest in Germany has never been simply about travelling to Germany. My interest has always been about what Ghana can gain from Germany and, equally importantly, what Germany can gain from Ghana.

I have approached my engagement with Germany as a tourism consultant, researcher, and advocate for stronger Ghana - Germany relations. My objective has been to promote Ghana as a destination for German tourists, investors, businesses, students, professionals and institutions. I believe Ghana now has an opportunity to take her relationship with Germany to another level.

The time has come to move beyond seeing Germany primarily as a development partner and to build a more comprehensive Ghana - Germany economic partnership based on trade, investment, tourism, technology, skills, education, culture, renewable energy, healthcare, manufacturing and private-sector cooperation. This should be a genuine win-win relationship.

Ghana and Germany are not starting from zero. Diplomatic relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Ghana date back to the year Ghana became independent. Relations have subsequently expanded into political, economic, educational, scientific, cultural and development cooperation.

According to Germany's Federal Foreign Office, the two countries today enjoy what Germany describes as friendly and strategic relations. Ghana is regarded as an important partner in West Africa, while Germany has been Ghana's largest bilateral development partner over five decades. There are also almost 70 university partnerships between institutions in the two countries. (Source: German Embassy Accra). The relationship is therefore deeper than many Ghanaians appreciate.

Germany has a diplomatic mission in Accra. German business institutions are established in Ghana. The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce has operated in Accra since 2011, while Germany Trade and Invest has maintained a presence since 2014. The Goethe-Institut, DAAD and German political foundations also contribute to the relationship. Ghana, meanwhile, has its embassy in Berlin, Germany. This is not merely a diplomatic relationship. It is an ecosystem. The challenge is how we convert that ecosystem into greater economic value for both countries.

In 2025, Germany imported approximately €290 million worth of goods from Ghana, while German exports to Ghana were approximately €274 million. Ghana's exports to Germany include raw materials and food products, while German exports to Ghana include machinery, chemicals and food products. (Source: German Embassy Accra).

For an economy as large and technologically advanced as Germany, and a country as strategically positioned as Ghana, there is considerable room for expansion. The objective should not simply be to increase the volume of trade. The objective should be to increase the value of the relationship.

Ghana must ask: How can more Ghanaian products enter German markets? How can German companies use Ghana as a gateway into West Africa? How can German technology support Ghanaian industrialisation? How can German tourists be encouraged to spend more time and money in Ghana? How can Ghanaian tourism businesses become more competitive in the German market? How can German investors participate in Ghana's renewable energy, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, healthcare and digital economy? And how can Ghanaian entrepreneurs increasingly access German markets, knowledge and technology? These are the questions that should define the next chapter.

Germany is more than a source of development assistance

For decades, much of Ghana's conversation with Germany has understandably revolved around development cooperation. That relationship has produced enormous value. But Ghana must now broaden the conversation. Germany is one of the world's most important industrial economies. It has globally competitive companies, engineering expertise, advanced manufacturing, vocational education systems, renewable-energy capabilities, technological know-how, research institutions and a powerful Mittelstand, the network of medium-sized companies that forms an important part of the German economy.

Ghana should not approach Germany merely asking: “What can Germany give Ghana?”. We should increasingly approach Germany asking: “What can Ghana and Germany build together?” That is a fundamentally different proposition. It moves the relationship from dependency to partnership. Ghana as Germany's gateway to West Africa. One of Ghana's strongest propositions to Germany is geography. Ghana is not only a national market. It is strategically positioned within West Africa and benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area's headquarters being located in Accra.

A German company establishing a production, logistics, technology, services or distribution operation in Ghana should therefore be looking beyond Ghana's approximately 35 million people. It should be looking at the wider African market. This is where Ghana's proposition becomes particularly interesting. But Ghana must make this proposition credible. Investors need predictable regulation, efficient ports, reliable energy, transparent taxation, access to finance, skilled labour, digital infrastructure, efficient public services and confidence that contracts will be respected. Investment promotion cannot therefore be separated from improving the investment environment.

Tourism should be one of the pillars of the relationship

As a tourism consultant and researcher, I strongly believe that tourism has been underutilised as an instrument of Ghana - Germany economic diplomacy. Germany is a major international tourism market. Yet the conversation about German - Ghanaian relations often focuses on development cooperation, politics and trade while tourism receives comparatively less strategic attention. That needs to change. Ghana has a compelling proposition for German travellers. We have history, culture, heritage, beaches, wildlife, cuisine, music, festivals and the rest. And increasingly, we have opportunities for wellness, medical and experiential tourism. But having attractions is not the same as having a competitive tourism product. Ghana needs to package its tourism assets specifically for the German market.

The Ghanaian Diaspora in Germany is an economic bridge

There is another asset that should not be underestimated: Ghanaians living in Germany. The Ghanaian community can become one of the most important bridges between the two economies. Available German city-level migration-background data and the historical national estimates put the Ghanaian-origin population in Germany at roughly 80,000 - 100,000. Members of the diaspora understand both markets. They understand Ghanaian culture and German consumer behaviour. They speak the languages. They have family, professional and commercial networks. Many have accumulated skills, capital and international experience. Rather than viewing the diaspora primarily through the lens of remittances, Ghana should increasingly view it as an economic network.

The Ghanaian diaspora in Germany can help facilitate: investment, tourism, trade, technology transfer, professional exchange, student mobility, cultural diplomacy, business partnerships, export development and market intelligence. A structured Ghana - Germany Diaspora Investment and Business Network could therefore become a powerful instrument for bilateral economic cooperation.

Germany can support Ghana's Industrial Transformation

There is enormous potential for German-Ghanaian cooperation in manufacturing. Ghana needs to move beyond exporting raw materials. We need greater domestic processing and value addition. This is where German engineering and technological expertise can become important. Potential areas include: Agro-processing, manufacturing, renewable energy, waste management, water and sanitation, logistics, digitalisation and healthcare. The objective should be joint value creation, rather than simply importing finished products from Germany.

Vocational education may be one of the biggest opportunities

One of the areas where Germany has enormous experience is vocational and technical education. Ghana needs a skilled workforce capable of supporting industrialisation. Tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, engineering, logistics, ICT, renewable energy and healthcare all require practical skills. Germany's dual vocational education model offers lessons that Ghana can adapt to its own circumstances. This should not mean copying Germany mechanically. It means building partnerships between Ghanaian educational institutions and German companies, chambers, vocational institutions and technical organisations. Imagine a Ghanaian hospitality student receiving practical training linked to German standards. Ghanaian technicians being trained in renewable-energy systems using German technology. Hospitality institutions collaborating with German tourism companies. Ghanaian and German universities jointly developing programmes in sustainable tourism, artificial intelligence, hospitality technology and climate adaptation. The economic benefits would extend far beyond education.

Renewable energy and the Green Economy

The energy transition provides another major opportunity. Germany has accumulated considerable expertise in renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate technologies and sustainable industrial systems. Ghana, meanwhile, needs to expand reliable and affordable energy while reducing the environmental impact of economic growth. There is therefore a natural space for cooperation. German companies can bring technology and expertise. Ghana can provide market opportunities, entrepreneurial talent and a platform for regional expansion. Joint ventures could develop solutions for hotels, factories, schools, hospitals and communities. For Ghana's tourism sector in particular, renewable energy and energy efficiency should become part of the future competitiveness strategy. Hotels cannot remain dependent on expensive energy indefinitely. The hotel of the future must be energy efficient, digitally connected and environmentally responsible.

Culture can become an economic asset

Culture is sometimes treated as a soft issue. I disagree. Culture is an economic asset. Ghanaian music, fashion, film, food, festivals, visual arts and creative talent have international appeal. Germany provides a major European market with sophisticated cultural institutions and audiences. The two countries could therefore develop stronger creative-industry exchanges. Imagine Ghanaian filmmakers collaborating with German producers. Ghanaian musicians performing across German cities. Ghanaian fashion designers participating in German fashion platforms. Ghanaian culinary experiences being promoted in major German cities. cultural festivals becoming platforms for tourism promotion and business networking. Cultural diplomacy can create commercial opportunities.

Medical tourism and healthcare cooperation

Healthcare presents another potential area of cooperation. Germany is recognised globally for advanced healthcare, medical technology, research and professional expertise. Ghana, meanwhile, has an opportunity to develop as a healthcare and medical tourism hub for West Africa especially with what the Africa Medical Tourism Council in Ghana is doing and with their recent partnership with Navala Travel health. Rather than thinking only in terms of Ghanaian patients travelling to Germany, the relationship should include: German medical technology entering Ghana, German - Ghanaian hospital partnerships, specialist training, telemedicine, medical research, diagnostics, healthcare management, health technology, medical conferences, and regional healthcare services. The long-term goal should be to build capacity in Ghana while creating opportunities for German companies and institutions.

The German-Africa Business Summit in Accra is an opportunity we cannot waste

Perhaps the most immediate opportunity comes in November. The 6th German-African Business Summit (GABS 2026) will be held in Accra from 23 to 25 November 2026 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra. The summit is being jointly organised by the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana. This is not simply another conference. It is an opportunity to place Ghana directly in front of German business leaders, investors, policymakers and institutions. The official organisers describe GABS as Germany's signature business event in Africa, designed to advance trade, investment and industrial cooperation between Germany and Sub-Saharan Africa. German companies are already preparing to use the summit as an entry point into Ghana. Ghana must therefore not approach November simply as a host country.

Ghana must approach GABS 2026 as an investment acquisition campaign

Before the summit, Ghana should identify German companies that could realistically invest in Ghana. Ghanaian companies should prepare investment-ready projects. Tourism operators should develop German-market packages. The government should identify priority sectors. Regional authorities should prepare bankable investment opportunities. Ghanaian businesses should understand what German companies are looking for. And after the summit, there must be a structured mechanism to follow up every serious investment lead. A successful summit should not be measured by the number of speeches delivered. It should be measured by: How many deals were initiated? investments secured? partnerships established? German tourists came to Ghana? How many Ghanaian products entered Germany? jobs were created? That is the real measure of success.

My Proposal: A Ghana - Germany Economic Partnership 2030

I believe Ghana should consider developing a structured Ghana - Germany Economic Partnership 2030.

This could bring government, business, academia, tourism, civil society and the diaspora around a common economic agenda. The partnership could focus on eight pillars:

1. Trade: Increase Ghanaian exports to Germany and diversify beyond raw materials.
2. Investment: Attract German companies into manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, tourism, healthcare, technology and logistics.
3. Tourism: Position Ghana as a leading West African destination for German leisure, business, heritage and experiential travellers.
4. Skills: Expand vocational training, apprenticeships, university partnerships and professional exchanges.
5. Technology: Promote German-Ghanaian technology partnerships in digitalisation, renewable energy, agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare.
6. Culture: Use cultural exchange to increase visibility, tourism and creative-industry trade.
7. Diaspora: Mobilise the Ghanaian-German community as investors, ambassadors, entrepreneurs and market connectors.
8. Research and innovation: Build stronger cooperation between universities, research institutions, start-ups and industry.

Ghana must also address its own weakness

Advocating for stronger German investment does not mean pretending that Ghana has no problems. If Ghana wants German investors, we must make it easier for them to do business. German investors will look at: policy stability, taxation, regulation, land acquisition, energy, logistics, access to foreign exchange, transparency, contract enforcement, skilled labour, infrastructure, bureaucracy and the cost of doing business. We cannot ask German companies to bring German standards of efficiency into Ghana while maintaining inefficient systems that undermine investment. Investment promotion must therefore go hand in hand with investment facilitation. The investor should not have to fight the system before becoming an investor.

What Germany can gain from Ghana

Ghana cannot build a successful relationship by constantly asking Germany what Germany can do for Ghana. Germany also needs partners. Ghana offers German companies: access to a stable democratic environment, a strategic West African location, an English-speaking business environment, access to regional markets, a growing consumer market, a young population, entrepreneurial talent, natural resources, agricultural opportunities, renewable-energy potential, digital talent, hospitality and tourism opportunities; and a gateway into the wider African Continental Free Trade Area. Ghana can therefore be more than a destination for German development programmes. Ghana can become a commercial partner for German enterprises in Africa. That is the narrative we should be promoting.