The Ashanti Region has attracted approximately $3.4 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) between 1994 and June 2025, according to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
The Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, Simon Madjie, disclosed that the amount represents 6.5 per cent of the total $52.8 billion FDI recorded in Ghana within the period.
Mr. Madjie made the remarks at the Ashanti Regional Investment Forum held in Kumasi on Wednesday, which brought together stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities and strategies for boosting economic growth in the region.
According to him, the region has significant untapped investment potential despite the substantial inflows recorded over the years.
“The challenge has not been a lack of opportunities. Instead, many promising projects have failed to attract the attention of investors because they have not been clearly identified, properly packaged, and presented in a way that meets investor expectations,” he said.
Mr. Madjie explained that the Ashanti Region ranked third in FDI inflows after the Greater Accra Region, which recorded $34.98 billion, and the Western Region with $10.8 billion.
The forum formed part of the GIPC’s Investment Opportunity Mapping Project (IOMP), a nationwide initiative launched last year to systematically identify, profile and package investment opportunities across all 261 districts in the country.
The theme for the event was “Driving local investment – Unlocking regional potential: Mapping opportunities and mobilising growth in the Ashanti Region.”
Mr. Madjie noted that Ashanti possesses a strong manufacturing base, a vibrant small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, a large consumer market and one of the country’s most dynamic entrepreneurial cultures.
Beyond its economic potential, he said the region also plays a strategic role in Ghana’s domestic trade network due to its geographical location, linking the northern and southern parts of the country.
He added that the region serves as a gateway for regional trade with landlocked Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Under the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, Mr. Madjie further disclosed that the Kumasi Machinery and Technology Park (KMTP) had been earmarked as a flagship project to promote precision engineering, machine fabrication and technology transfer.
The initiative, he said, would also support agro-processing, textiles and light manufacturing in the region.
“With the right investment, existing industrial clusters can evolve into globally competitive industrial ecosystems,” Mr. Madjie said.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
