The Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) has been shut indefinitely with immediate effect, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs moves to carry out renovation works on a facility whose structural condition has raised concerns for well over a decade.
In a public notice issued on Friday, March 27, 2026, the Ministry confirmed that the AICC would be temporarily shut with effect from that date, although no reopening date has been given. Officials said the closure is necessary to facilitate scheduled upgrades aimed at improving safety and ensuring the long-term functionality of the facility, and that the public will be informed in due course once the centre is ready to receive visitors again.
The closure fulfils a commitment President John Dramani Mahama made to Parliament earlier this year. In his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Mahama outlined plans to refurbish the AICC to restore it to its former prominence as a leading venue for national and international conferences. The refurbishments are expected to include structural upgrades and modernisation of conference technology, aimed at restoring the centre to world-class standards and supporting Ghana’s ambitions to become a leading hub for meetings, conferences, exhibitions, and creative events in West Africa.
The urgency behind those ambitions is not new. Structural concerns about the AICC have been documented for years. In 2017, then Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey told Parliament’s Appointments Committee that structural engineers had recommended shutting the facility after inspections found that pillars holding the building were in very poor condition, aggravated by the waterlogged nature of the site on which it was constructed. The facility continued to operate without a full structural intervention in the years that followed.
The AICC was established in 1991 to host the Tenth Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, marking a key moment in Ghana’s diplomatic history. Since then, it has served as the country’s premier venue for United Nations summits, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meetings, business conferences, trade exhibitions, and major entertainment productions. The centre comprises six fully equipped halls with a total capacity of approximately 6,000 people, including a main plenary hall that seats up to 1,600 delegates and several committee and meeting rooms.
The renovation also sits within a broader government infrastructure agenda. In addition to the AICC works, the government is pursuing the construction of a new state-of-the-art convention and creative events centre through public-private partnerships, intended to complement the AICC and position Ghana competitively as a destination for large-scale international gatherings. The 2026 budget also allocates GH¢20 million each to the National Film Authority and the Creative Arts Agency, and refurbishment works on the National Theatre of Ghana are expected to begin within weeks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs apologised for any inconvenience the closure may cause to the public, event organisers, and other stakeholders who rely on the facility, and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering quality public service throughout the renovation period.
