The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Simon Madjie, has urged Ghanaians in the diaspora to direct their remittances into productive ventures to help drive national development.

He observed that diaspora remittances now exceed foreign direct investment inflows and could deliver an even greater impact on the economy if channelled into sustainable investments.

Mr Madjie made these remarks at a Diaspora Summit held under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region.” He highlighted GIPC’s diaspora investment framework, which is designed to support diaspora investors through institutional backing, policy reforms, access to credible information, risk mitigation measures and digital tools that simplify investment procedures.

He explained that the Centre’s Diaspora Desk provides tailored advisory and information services, while the AfCFTA Desk offers support and guidance to diaspora investors seeking opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area.

According to him, Ghana presents investors with access to a domestic market of about 34 million people, a West African market exceeding 400 million, and a continental market of approximately 1.4 billion people.

Mr Madjie also announced the removal of the minimum capital requirement for foreign investors and gave assurances of strong legal protections, including safeguards against discrimination and expropriation.

He identified key sectors with high potential for diaspora investment, including real estate, manufacturing, the creative arts, tourism and hospitality, information and communication technology, healthcare, green industrialisation, climate-smart agriculture and digital transformation.

He encouraged investors to look beyond opportunities in the Greater Accra Region and reaffirmed the critical role of the diaspora in Ghana’s development agenda, stressing that the country remains open for business.