The Volta Region’s been positioned as Ghana’s next major economic growth hub following the unveiling of a comprehensive investment roadmap at the Volta Economic Forum, with organizers presenting specific project opportunities worth hundreds of millions of cedis across five key sectors.
Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, who serves as President of the Independent Power Producers and Volta Regional Commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission, described the Volta Corridor as a corridor of possibilities ready to anchor the country’s 24-hour economy vision. Speaking at the forum themed “Harnessing the Volta Corridor Economic Potential for the 24-Hour Economy Take-off,” he emphasized that the region’s unique mix of geography, resources, and policy support makes it a natural choice for sustained investment and industrialization.
“This forum is more than a gathering; it is a call to investors, innovators, and nation builders to anchor the 24-hour economy in this corridor of possibilities,” he said, signaling a shift from aspirational planning to concrete implementation.
The investment blueprint builds around five interlinked economic sectors designed to operate continuously under the 24-hour model, with specific districts identified for targeted development. What distinguishes this approach from previous regional development initiatives is the presentation of actual production data and investment ranges rather than vague promises about untapped potential.
In agro-processing, districts including Adaklu, Ho West, Akatsi South, and Ketu North already produce significant volumes of cassava, maize, groundnuts, and poultry. Adaklu alone produces 40,000 metric tons of cassava and 20,000 metric tons of maize annually, while the Tongu belt contributes 40,000 metric tons of rice each year. These areas are ready for investment in processing facilities and logistics systems, with estimated project sizes ranging between GHS12 million and GHS35 million.
The blue economy presents another high-growth area centered around Anloga, Keta, and Ketu South. These coastal districts offer aquaculture and fish processing opportunities, cold chain hubs, and seafood export potential, with investments estimated between GHS15 million and GHS38 million. Anloga’s annual salt output alone reaches 200,000 metric tons, representing industrial-scale production that’s currently underexploited in terms of value addition.
Tourism and cultural economy represents a natural strength of the Volta Region, with Afadjato South, Hohoe, and Pandu offering rich ecotourism circuits featuring lakes, mountains, waterfalls, and heritage sites. Investments in tourism infrastructure are projected between GHS22 million and GHS40 million, with strong prospects for night tourism, hospitality expansion, and event-driven businesses that align with the 24-hour economy concept.
Ho Municipality stands as the administrative and innovation hub for ICT, light manufacturing, and urban services. With over 200 active small and medium enterprises, the area offers investment opportunities ranging from GHS40 million to GHS65 million for industrial parks, ICT hubs, and service clusters. It’s this existing entrepreneurial base that makes the municipality attractive for investors seeking established business ecosystems rather than starting from scratch.
The logistics and border trade sector in Ketu South and North Tongu anchors the corridor’s trade infrastructure. Ketu South’s border trade volume already exceeds GHS500 million annually, demonstrating substantial commerce flowing through the region. The development plan envisions bonded warehouses, dry ports, and retail distribution centers worth GHS25 million to GHS95 million, aimed at improving customs efficiency, cargo handling, and cross-border trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Dr. Apetorgbor emphasized that the corridor’s strategic positioning matters beyond domestic considerations. With access to the Eastern Corridor Road, the Volta Lake transport system, and the Aflao border post, the region provides connectivity to both domestic and ECOWAS markets, potentially positioning Ghana as a gateway for landlocked Sahelian countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
“The Volta Corridor’s potential is not abstract. It is practical, measurable, and backed by real economic data. What remains is execution,” he emphasized, acknowledging that previous regional development initiatives often failed to translate planning documents into actual projects.
To bridge this implementation gap, the Volta Corridor Investment Secretariat will work with the Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre to facilitate partnerships. The goal isn’t just hosting another investment forum but turning discussions into signed term sheets, joint ventures, and memoranda of understanding.
Dr. Apetorgbor urged investors to co-create with district assemblies and traditional leaders to align projects with local strengths and development goals. Early movers, he assured, would receive fast-track facilitation, investment intelligence, and structured aftercare, suggesting the region’s learned from past experiences where bureaucratic delays discouraged serious investors.
“We invite investors to sit with our municipal and district assemblies, traditional authorities, and entrepreneurs to shape the project landscape to fit their strategies,” he said, recognizing that successful investment requires more than presenting opportunities; it demands responsive institutional support.
The preparatory work backing this forum distinguishes it from typical investment conferences. All 18 municipal and district chief executives in the Volta Region participated in preparatory retreats designed to equip them with skills to collaborate with the private sector, promote investment, and negotiate bankable projects. As Dr. Apetorgbor noted, politics differs from business, and local leaders needed technical capacity to structure viable proposals for private investors.
Traditional leaders have also pledged support for the initiative. Torgbui James Ocloo V, Chief of Keta, speaking on behalf of Torgbui Agbesi Awusu II, the Awadada of Anlo, commended the approach and urged district executives to focus on youth employment and educational support, recognizing that investment without local benefit creates resentment rather than development.
The initiative has already attracted international attention beyond rhetoric. The Volta Regional Coordinating Council signed a memorandum of understanding with Shenzhen investors in September 2025, bringing Chinese technology and manufacturing expertise to the region. The African Development Bank signed a landmark Letter of Intent in July 2025 to support development of the Volta Economic Corridor, partnering with the 24-hour economy secretariat and Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to establish Special Purpose Vehicles driving investment across critical sectors.
Dr. Apetorgbor’s personal advocacy for the region extends beyond this single forum. He’s authored multiple opinion pieces positioning Volta as Ghana’s new agribusiness frontier, renewable energy hub, and logistics corridor, building intellectual momentum around the region’s development potential. His dual roles as Independent Power Producers President and National Development Planning Commission representative provide unusual influence in both private sector and government policy circles.
The government completed a development blueprint for the Volta River Basin in July 2025 to guide establishment of industrial parks, economic enclaves, and inland water transport systems. This planning infrastructure matters because it provides frameworks for investors rather than forcing them to navigate unclear regulatory environments.
The 24-hour economy concept itself has gained credibility through international engagement. President Mahama featured it prominently at the Africa-Singapore Business Forum in August 2025, outlining how extended-hour operations can boost exports and job creation. The United Kingdom’s Jobs and Economic Transformation Programme has aligned its support to Ghana’s 24-hour policy pillar, suggesting international partners view the initiative as credible rather than just political messaging.
For investors, the blueprint represents a concrete shift from promise to practice, integrating production from Oti, processing from Volta, and exports through Tema and Aflao. It signals a ready environment with data-backed projects, policy clarity, and ambitious leadership committed to sustainable growth rather than quick wins that generate headlines but little economic transformation.
Yet skepticism remains warranted. Ghana’s attempted numerous regional development initiatives that produced impressive launch events but limited actual investment. The real test won’t be the forum itself but whether term sheets signed translate into operational factories, functioning logistics hubs, and thriving tourism enterprises creating sustainable jobs over the next several years.
What’s different this time, according to organizers, is the combination of specific investment targets, prepared local leadership, committed international partners, and alignment with national policy priorities that provide political backing. Whether that’s sufficient to overcome Ghana’s historical challenges with implementation remains the critical question.
In closing his presentation, Dr. Apetorgbor called on stakeholders to move beyond identifying opportunities to implementing projects that generate jobs and revenue. “The Volta Corridor is open for business. It is ready to power Ghana’s 24-hour economy take-off. Let us sign, build, and grow together,” he declared, acknowledging that success requires collective commitment rather than individual heroics.
For the Volta Region’s two million residents, this blueprint represents validation that their area matters to Ghana’s economic future. Whether it delivers actual transformation or becomes another unfulfilled promise depends on execution over the coming years, measured not in forum declarations but in factories built, jobs created, and prosperity shared.
