The sixth edition of the Obuasi Trade Show will run from December 17 to 20 at Black Park near Len Clay Sports Stadium, featuring the most ambitious programme since the exhibition began in 2019 with expanded activities aimed at strengthening local businesses and boosting the municipality’s economy.
Board Chairman of the Obuasi Trade Show Consortium, Aboagye Ohene Adu, announced the dates during a media launch on Thursday, December 4. According to Ghana News Agency, Ohene Adu stated that improvements made over the past five editions had shaped a more impactful and exciting 2025 programme. He commended AngloGold Ashanti for consistent support, noting that businesses in Obuasi have expanded significantly due to the initiative. He urged residents and business owners to fully embrace opportunities presented by the show.
The exhibition began in 2019 under AngloGold Ashanti’s three year Social Management Plan covering 2019 to 2021. Its success led to continuation under the mining company’s ten year Socio Economic Development Plan spanning 2022 to 2031. The 2025 fair is being organized through partnerships involving the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Obuasi East District Assembly and Akrofuom District Assembly, with strategic support from AngloGold Ashanti and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority.
GEPA’s involvement for the first time this year is expected to help exhibitors improve branding, packaging and export readiness. The authority’s participation represents an effort to connect local entrepreneurs with international market opportunities and technical expertise in product development. Officials indicated GEPA would provide specialized training sessions during the four day event focusing on export standards, quality control and global market access.
Edmund Oduro Agyei, Community Relations Manager at AngloGold Ashanti, described the Trade Show as a major catalyst for local economic transformation during the launch. He reaffirmed the mine’s commitment to supporting the initiative as part of efforts to diversify Obuasi’s economy. According to Citi Newsroom, Agyei highlighted remarkable achievements since the show’s inception, including training for over 1,000 businesses, direct investment of more than GH₵1.8 million in micro, small and medium enterprise development, creation of 1,049 direct and indirect jobs, and establishment of 168 new businesses.
These milestones demonstrate the significant impact of the trade show on Obuasi’s economic landscape. The exhibition has evolved from a simple marketplace into a comprehensive economic development platform providing training, market access, business networking and financial literacy programmes. Past editions featured segments on training for exhibitors, market promotion activities and physical exhibition spaces where entrepreneurs showcase products and services.
Obuasi’s economy has historically depended heavily on gold mining activities at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, one of Ghana’s oldest and most productive mining operations. The trade show initiative forms part of broader efforts to reduce economic vulnerability by developing alternative income sources and strengthening the small business sector. Local authorities recognize that economic diversification remains critical to the municipality’s long term prosperity and resilience against commodity price fluctuations.
The 2025 edition promises expanded activities compared to previous years. Organizers indicated the programme would include business development workshops, product innovation competitions, access to financing opportunities and networking sessions connecting entrepreneurs with potential investors and buyers. Creative arts personalities and media representatives serving on the consortium board are expected to enhance promotional efforts and increase public engagement.
Financial institutions in Obuasi have also joined the consortium supporting the event. Their participation aims to improve access to capital for small businesses and facilitate connections between entrepreneurs and formal banking services. Previous trade shows have featured on site financial counseling, loan application assistance and presentations on business financing options available to local enterprises.
The initiative has received recognition beyond Obuasi. In January 2024, AngloGold Ashanti honored 33 individuals and institutions at an awards ceremony celebrating contributions toward the trade show’s development. District Chief Executive for Obuasi East, Faustina Amissah, noted during that event that evidence abounds in Obuasi of how businesses participating in the programme improved over the years.
Agyei concluded his remarks at the December 4 launch by encouraging residents and entrepreneurs to take full advantage of the trade show to enhance their businesses and contribute to Obuasi’s economic growth. He emphasized that sustained community participation remains essential to achieving the exhibition’s objectives of economic diversification and local enterprise development.
The trade show represents a model increasingly adopted by mining companies in Ghana seeking to create lasting economic benefits in host communities beyond direct employment and royalty payments. Similar initiatives in other mining districts have generated interest from policymakers examining ways to strengthen linkages between extractive industries and local economic development.
