The Ghana Economic Forum’s 14th edition opened today in Accra, bringing together the country’s most influential economic voices to explore how structural reforms in finance, energy and agribusiness can anchor lasting currency stability beyond short term interventions.
Organised by Business & Financial Times (B&FT), the daylong event under the theme ‘Currency stability: A reset for sustainable economic growth’ features three major sessions designed to move Ghana past cyclical fixes toward genuine competitiveness. Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang will deliver the keynote address outlining government’s approach to restoring macroeconomic balance through fiscal discipline and export diversification.
Dr. Godwin Acquaye, CEO of B&FT, said this year’s forum carries special urgency as Ghana works to consolidate its recent economic recovery. He noted that stabilising the cedi requires more than policy documents and central bank directives, it demands strengthening the foundations of production, industry and exports.
“We’ve had periods of busts and booms, yet it appears we’re in the same place and in some senses regressing,” Dr. Acquaye said ahead of the opening. “We need lasting solutions, that’s why we’re bringing the public and private sectors together to discuss how Ghana can convert resilience into real value creation.”
The forum’s first plenary will tackle ‘Resetting Ghana’s Currency and Financial Framework: Building Resilience beyond the IMF Programme’, examining the nation’s post programme economic outlook. Ghana is expected to exit the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Credit Facility in 2026, making the question of sustainability particularly urgent.
KPMG Country Managing Partner Andy Akoto and Fidelity Bank Deputy Managing Director Kwabena Boateng will set the tone for discussions moderated by Evans Mensah. The session brings together Seth Terkper, Presidential Advisor on the Economy; Humphrey Ayim Darke, President of the Association of Ghana Industries; Prof. Patrick Asuming from the University of Ghana Business School; and Abena Amoah, Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange.
Other panellists include Ebenezer Amankwah Minkah, Executive Director of the Centre for Economic Research and Policy Analysis; Dr. Ishmael Dodoo, Head of Innovative Finance at the 24 Hour Economy Secretariat; and Joe Jackson, CEO of Dalex Finance. They’ll explore fiscal consolidation, debt restructuring, revenue mobilisation and industrial competitiveness as core elements for currency resilience.
Dr. Acquaye emphasised that the discussion won’t just diagnose problems but propose a framework for consistency. “We must institutionalise fiscal discipline and stop treating stability as a temporary achievement,” he said. “Currency resilience must be the outcome of an economy that produces, innovates and exports.”
Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama is expected to highlight the central bank’s efforts in sustaining monetary stability and deepening confidence in Ghana’s financial system, building on recent gains that saw inflation drop from 54 percent in late 2022 to single digits this year.
The afternoon’s second session shifts focus to ‘Financing the Future: Tackling Legacy Debt and Building a Resilient Energy Economy’, addressing persistent financial and operational challenges in Ghana’s power sector. Minister of Energy and Green Transition John Abu Jinapor will open the discussion.
Energy experts including Dr. Nii Darko Asante, an Independent Energy Consultant and former GRIDCo Executive; Dr. Ben Boakye, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy; and Elikplim Apetorgbor, CEO of the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, will share insights on restructuring the troubled sector.
Ghana’s total installed power capacity currently exceeds 5,200 megawatts, but dependable capacity often falls below 3,500 megawatts due to maintenance lapses, fuel shortages and financial constraints. The sector’s cumulative debt, estimated at more than 1.5 billion US dollars, continues straining the national budget and deterring private investment.
Reindolf Annor from KPMG, Dr. Nii Kwashie Allotey of ESPco Nuclear, Kwaku Wiafe from the Volta River Authority, and Maxwell Asare of Fidelity Bank will participate in the plenary moderated by John Nkum of Nkum Associates. Speakers are expected to discuss innovative financing models, governance reforms and renewable energy integration as part of a ten year strategy for financial sustainability.
The final session, ‘Value Addition for Currency Stability: Transforming Agriculture into an Industrial Powerhouse’, explores how Ghana’s agricultural base can support currency stability through agro industrialisation and value chain development. Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to the President, will open the discussion arguing that agriculture must evolve from subsistence activity into a modern industrial driver.
Agriculture currently contributes about 20 percent of Ghana’s GDP and employs over one third of the workforce, yet value addition remains minimal. Most cocoa, cashew and other crops leave Ghana in raw form, with processing and packaging profits captured elsewhere.
Panellists include Fatima Ali Mohammed, CEO of African Brand Warrior; Alberta Akosa of Agrihouse Foundation; Alex Agyei Amponsah from Fidelity Bank’s SME Banking division; Raymond Dentah, an Agribusiness Finance Consultant; Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide in the Office of the President; and Raghav Mandhana, Regional CFO of Olam Agric Ghana. Robert Dovlo, an Agribusiness Analyst, will moderate.
Participants are expected to propose financing models, technology adoption strategies and policy measures that boost processing and export diversification, potentially creating thousands of jobs while reducing import dependence and pressure on the cedi.
Beyond the discussions, organisers say GEF 2025 is designed as a mechanism for accountability. A post forum policy brief will consolidate recommendations from all three sessions and be presented to the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Ghana and other relevant institutions. B&FT will also launch a Public Sector Scorecard tracking progress in fiscal discipline, energy efficiency and agribusiness value addition.
“This forum is about continuity and credibility,” Dr. Acquaye said. “We must ensure that the ideas generated here translate into national policy, measurable outcomes and tangible improvements in the lives of Ghanaians.”
The forum comes at a moment when Ghana’s economic indicators have turned markedly positive. The cedi has appreciated significantly this year, earning recognition as sub Saharan Africa’s best performing currency after ranking among the world’s worst just three years ago. International reserves have climbed above 12 billion US dollars while inflation has fallen into the central bank’s target range.
However, challenges remain. Ghana still relies heavily on imports for consumer goods, industrial inputs and energy, creating continuous demand for foreign currency. External debt service requirements strain reserves, while limited export diversification beyond gold, cocoa and oil constrains foreign exchange earnings.
The three sessions are structured to address these structural weaknesses systematically. The morning panel will examine how to maintain recent gains and build market confidence without IMF support. The energy session tackles a sector whose inefficiencies cost the economy billions annually. The agriculture panel looks at transforming Ghana’s biggest employment sector into an export powerhouse.
Forum organisers believe that by bringing together policymakers, business leaders, development experts and financial institutions, GEF 2025 can generate practical solutions rather than theoretical discussions. The Public Sector Scorecard represents an attempt to move beyond one off events toward sustained pressure for implementation.
Previous editions of the Ghana Economic Forum, which started in 2012, have influenced policy on infrastructure financing, state owned enterprise reform and economic diversification. Organisers cite examples where forum recommendations eventually shaped government programmes or central bank initiatives.
The timing appears strategic. With Ghana preparing to exit the IMF programme next year, the forum provides space for frank conversations about sustainability. With the Cedi@60 celebrations highlighting both progress and vulnerabilities in Ghana’s monetary history, business leaders and policymakers are weighing how to protect recent stabilisation gains.
Dr. Acquaye’s emphasis on moving beyond “busts and booms” reflects broader frustration in Ghana’s business community about cyclical patterns where progress gives way to crisis. The challenge now is whether the country can finally break that pattern through the kind of structural reforms and institutional discipline the forum aims to promote.
As sessions unfold throughout the day at the Accra venue, participants will test whether Ghana’s current economic moment represents genuine transformation or another temporary improvement. The answers could shape policy direction and investor confidence for years ahead.
