Prez John Mahama Secures $1bn Investment Deals on Historic State Visit to Singapore

President John Dramani Mahama has made history as the first Ghanaian Head of State to be officially invited on a State Visit to Singapore — a trip that delivered over US$1 billion in investment commitments across multiple sectors of Ghana’s economy.

The landmark visit produced a series of high-impact partnerships under President Mahama’s Reset Agenda, covering housing, infrastructure, trade, education, and technology.

Key Investment Partnerships

1. OLAM Projects (US$200m): Establishment of a 43,000-metric-ton pasta processing plant set to open next year, alongside poultry and aquaculture feed plants — projected to create 4,000 jobs.
2. Shangri-La Investment (US$300m): Construction of a green, ultra-modern 5-star hotel, complete with a grand mall, international convention centre, and conference facilities to position Ghana as West Africa’s leading conference hub.
3. University of Ghana Hostel: Development of a 10,000-capacity student hostel to ease campus accommodation pressures.
4. Kotoka Airport Upgrade: Deployment of enhanced scanners and security systems in line with global standards to curb smuggling and trafficking.
5. Tema Port Expansion & Dry Dock Revival: Strategic cooperation to modernize maritime infrastructure.
6. New Oil Jetty: Construction of a state-of-the-art docking facility for oil vessels.
7. Road Quality Labs: Partnership with Singapore’s Land Transport Authority to establish nationwide testing labs to enforce high-quality road construction standards.
8. Common Payment Platform: A collaboration between the central banks of Ghana and Singapore to create a joint payment system that boosts Africa–Asia trade.
9. TVET Collaboration: Partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to establish a model Accra Institute of Technology.
10. Carbon Credit Projects: Execution of initiatives under Ghana and Singapore’s bilateral carbon credit agreement.

Beyond Investment

The two nations signed an MoU for regular high-level political consultations, advanced negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), and agreed on capacity-building support for forensic investigators under the Office of the Registrar of Audit and Law (ORAL).

In a major public sector reform initiative, the first batch of 18 Chief Directors from Ghana’s Ministries will travel to Singapore in September 2025 for an intensive leadership and knowledge-sharing bootcamp.

President Mahama also announced plans to establish a Ghanaian Consulate in Singapore by 2026, while Singapore has already set up Enterprise Singapore in Accra to coordinate its West African investments.

A Strengthened Bond

Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam described Mahama as “a man on a mission, determined to see his country and its young population succeed.”

Observers have noted that the renewed Ghana–Singapore ties would have delighted Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah and Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who were close allies during their lifetimes.

President Mahama concluded that Ghana’s diplomacy will continue to be anchored on transformational partnerships that deliver the reset Ghanaians overwhelmingly voted for.