West African Investors Told to Find Deals Before November Summit

Roger A. Agana
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West African Investors Told to Find Deals Before November Summit

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and investor Tony Elumelu told West African business leaders in Lagos on Wednesday to line up investors and projects before a November summit.

The push matters now because the inaugural West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS) is less than six weeks away. The gathering is meant to produce financed deals, and the people in the room are expected to deliver them. Bio gave the new WAIIS Private Sector Advisory Board a specific job. Members should approach prospective investors directly, match them with viable projects and flag the financing gaps and policy decisions that stand in the way.

The advisory board has 13 members and met in person for the first time in Lagos. It includes Aliko Dangote of the Dangote Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu of the BUA Group, Afreximbank’s president George Elombi, Africa Finance Corporation chief executive Samaila Zubairu and Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, governor of the Central Bank of West African States. Elumelu chairs Heirs Holdings. The organisers have not said how many members attended.

Bio pitched the summit as a way to build one market of more than 400 million people. “But potential is not prosperity,” he told the board. Priority sectors are energy trade and industrialisation, strategic minerals, agribusiness and digital transformation.

Elumelu said he would draw in African and international money alongside the Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, United Bank for Africa and Ecobank. He also set a condition for governments. They must give investors policy certainty, efficient regulation and security before capital commits for the long term, he said. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made a similar case for open borders and an enabling environment for trade.

Sierra Leone has led preparations since 2024, and regional heads of state endorsed the summit, according to project advisers quoted by Tribune Online. Reports put the project pipeline at about 170 opportunities. Bio is the immediate past chair of the Economic Community of West African States Authority of Heads of State and Government.

The summit runs on November 17 and 18 at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, Sierra Leone.

Simiw Honours NPA CEO For Development Contributions

James Kweku Baako
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Simiw Honours NPA CEO For Development Contributions

The Chief of Simiw, Nana Kwamina Nguando IV, and the Simiw Youth Development Association have honoured the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr. Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, for his contributions to the development of the community.

The recognition was conferred during a durbar held to climax this year’s Enyanko Festival at Simiw in the Central Region.

Presenting the award, Nana Nguando IV explained that the honour was in appreciation of the NPA CEO’s support towards developmental projects in the community since his installation as chief.

Simiw Honors Ceo Of Npa Through His Subordinate
Simiw Honors Ceo Of Npa Through His Subordinate

According to the chief, although Mr. Tamakloe is a close friend, it is uncommon to find friendships that translate into tangible development for communities.

He noted that within two years of his coronation, Simiw had witnessed significant improvements, largely due to the support received from the NPA CEO.

Nana Nguando IV cited the construction of a new palace and a health centre as some of the major projects supported by Mr. Tamakloe.

He explained that before the establishment of the health facility, residents often had to travel long distances to access quality healthcare services in Ankaful, Cape Coast, and Elmina.

According to the chief, the health centre has significantly improved access to healthcare and enhanced the well-being of residents.

He further noted that the construction of the palace has not only beautified the town but has also strengthened community cohesion.

“The palace has become a focal point for discussions on the development of the community and has helped promote unity among the people,” he said.

As part of the ceremony, the traditional authorities and the Youth Development Association presented citations and other tokens of appreciation to Mr. Tamakloe and some officials of the National Petroleum Authority.

Receiving the honour on behalf of the NPA CEO, the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aquinas Hanson Jnr, expressed gratitude to the chief and the youth association for the recognition.

 

He said the NPA was humbled by the honour and appreciated the community’s acknowledgment of its contributions.

Mr. Hanson reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to supporting community development initiatives across the country.

“We are encouraged by this recognition and remain committed to supporting communities that require assistance to improve the lives of their people,” he said.

He assured the people of Simiw that the Authority would continue to support worthy development initiatives aimed at improving socio-economic conditions in communities.

Ghana Among 21 Markets as Milo Becomes Official NBA Partner

News Ghana
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Ghana Among 21 Markets as Milo Becomes Official NBA Partner

Nestlé has signed a deal making Milo, Nescau and Nesquik official partners of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from January 1, 2027, with Ghana among the markets.

Nestlé announced the agreement on October 7. It covers 20 markets at launch, and the Philippines joins in October 2027 to make 21. Ghana and Nigeria are the only African countries on the list. Nestlé calls it the largest international brand collaboration it has made, part of a plan to back fewer, larger global marketing platforms. The announcement gave no value for the deal and no end date beyond describing it as multiyear.

For Ghanaian families, the visible change will be on shop shelves and in youth sport. The agreement includes packs carrying NBA branding, plus chances for shoppers to win game tickets, merchandise and other prizes. It also reaches into NBA youth programmes: Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School, the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coaches Academies, Her Time To Play and NBA 3X. Selected NBA events, including NBA Global Games and NBA House, are part of the package. The announcement did not say which of these will run in Ghana.

Myron Otoo, category manager for beverages and dairy at Nestlé Ghana, said the deal builds on Milo’s grassroots record, including the Milo Under 13 Champions League. He described the partnership as “opening up a new world of possibilities for the Ghanaian child”.

Julie Morris, the NBA’s senior vice president of commercial development and media, said the league wants to use Nestlé’s reach and local presence to connect with fans and grow the game. Liberato Milo, who heads Nestlé’s confectionery and snacking business, said the company wants to use basketball to reach consumers at scale.

The link is not entirely new elsewhere. Nescau, Nestlé’s chocolate drink brand in Brazil, ran NBA themed promotions as early as 2018, including a prize trip to a game and collectible cups. Brazilian outlet Máquina do Esporte reported that the brand and the league did not treat those earlier actions as a sponsorship. The new agreement makes the relationship formal.

Chief Urges Revival Of Komenda Sugar, Elmina Fish Factories

James Kweku Baako
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Chief Urges Revival Of Komenda Sugar, Elmina Fish Factories

The Chief of Simiw and Adontehene of the Edina Traditional Council, Nana Kwamina Nguando IV, has appealed to the government to urgently revive the abandoned Komenda Sugar Factory and Elmina Fish Processing Factory before the 2028 general elections.

Nana Nguando, who also serves as Chairman of the Development Committee of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality, made the appeal during a durbar held to climax this year’s Enyanko Festival at Simiw in the Central Region.

Addressing the gathering, the traditional leader expressed concern over the continued abandonment of the two factories, which were established nearly a decade ago to stimulate industrial development and create employment opportunities for residents of the municipality.

According to him, while the facilities continue to deteriorate, thousands of young people in the area remain unemployed.

The Komenda Sugar Factory
The Komenda Sugar Factory

Nana Nguando described the situation at the Komenda Sugar Factory as particularly worrying, noting that the facility, situated in the home district of former President Professor John Evans Atta Mills and Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, remains idle despite its enormous economic potential.

He said the factory has the capacity to create more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute significantly to the local and national economy.

The chief explained that a fully operational sugar factory would reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported sugar and help conserve foreign exchange currently spent on sugar imports.

The Komenda Sugar Factory
The Komenda Sugar Factory

“With the factory functioning at full capacity, Ghana would be able to reduce its reliance on imported sugar and create employment opportunities for thousands of people,” he stated.

Nana Nguando also expressed concern about reports that some of the factory’s equipment had begun to deteriorate due to prolonged inactivity.

He therefore called on the government to take immediate steps to restore operations at the facility to prevent the significant investment made in the project from going to waste.

The traditional ruler disclosed that the Komenda community had reserved an additional 2,000 hectares of land to support future expansion of the factory when it was commissioned.

However, he lamented that there appears to be little indication that the factory will resume operations anytime soon.

He urged the government to provide a clear roadmap and timeline for reopening the facility.

According to him, failure to address the issue could result in the factory continuing to be used as a political tool by successive governments.

The Elmina Fish Processing Factory
The Elmina Fish Processing Factory

Nana Nguando further stated that if efforts to persuade the government to reactivate the factory prove unsuccessful, the traditional authorities would explore the possibility of attracting private investors to take over and operate the facility.

“We cannot allow taxpayers’ money invested in the factory to go to waste,” he stressed.

The chief also expressed concern over the continued inactivity of the Elmina Fish Processing Factory, describing it as another major investment that has failed to deliver the expected benefits to the people of the municipality.

He noted that the operationalisation of the factory could create employment opportunities for many young people, particularly those within the fisheries value chain.

Given the rising unemployment levels in the municipality, Nana Nguando appealed to the government to prioritise the revival of both factories as part of efforts to promote local industrialisation and economic development.

He said bringing the facilities back into operation would not only create jobs but also stimulate economic activity, improve household incomes, and support national development objectives.

Friends Of Bawumia 2008 Donates Food Items To Accra Rehabilitation Centre

Prosper Kay
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Friends Of Bawumia 2008 Donates Food Items To Accra Rehabilitation Centre

Friends of Bawumia 2008 has donated food items and other essential supplies to the Accra Rehabilitation Centre on behalf of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as he celebrates his 63rd birthday.

The donation, aimed at supporting the needs and welfare of persons at the centre, included 10 bags of rice, tubers of yam, bottled water, toilet rolls, baskets of tomatoes, garden eggs, crates of eggs and detergents, among other essential items.

Speaking at the donation, the Chief Operating Officer of Friends of Bawumia 2008, Barbara Makara-Maccugen, said the gesture formed part of activities to commemorate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s 63rd birthday by extending support to persons who needed it the most.

She said the group considered it important to mark the occasion by reaching out to the Accra Rehabilitation Centre and supporting the institution with items that would contribute to the daily needs of its beneficiaries.

Barbara Makara-Maccugen called on the general public to support persons with disabilities and other vulnerable persons in society, stressing that their welfare should be a collective responsibility.

She urged individuals, organisations and institutions to contribute in diverse ways to improve the living conditions and well-being of persons at rehabilitation centres.

She further called for stronger enforcement of disability laws to ensure that public facilities are accessible and friendly to persons with disabilities.

According to her, although policies and laws exist to protect persons with disabilities, more needs to be done to ensure their effective implementation.

“The disability laws have been overlooked. Let’s strengthen the policies and enforce them to make access to facilities friendly for persons with disabilities,” she said.

Barbara Makara-Maccugen stressed that supporting persons with disabilities should go beyond occasional donations, urging the public to consistently demonstrate care and provide the necessary assistance to enable them to live with dignity.

Story By: Rebecca Lartey

Mobile Money Hits GH¢492.9bn, But Most Ghanaian Firms Lag

News Ghana
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Mobile Money Hits GH¢492.9bn, But Most Ghanaian Firms Lag

Ghanaians moved GH¢492.9 billion through mobile money in June 2026, yet a 2024 census found only 37 percent of businesses accept or use digital payments.

The monthly value is about 52.5 percent higher than the GH¢323.2 billion recorded in June 2025, according to the Bank of Ghana (BoG). The gap matters now because consumers are ready to pay digitally while most firms are not set up to receive it.

BoG data shows how far older tools have fallen behind. June saw 954 million mobile money transactions against 406,000 cheque transactions worth GH¢35.7 billion. Money sitting in wallets reached a record GH¢40 billion, up from GH¢28.9 billion a year earlier. Registered accounts rose to 84.6 million, of which 26.4 million were active, and 546,000 of the one million registered agents were active. Reports on BoG’s latest monthly release put July at GH¢509.4 billion and August at GH¢518.8 billion.

The business side looks different. The 2024 Integrated Business Establishment Survey, run by the Ghana Statistical Service with the ReFinD research initiative at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, found 37.09 percent of firms accept or use a digital payment method. Adoption stood at 38.4 percent in services, 34.9 percent in industry and 22.4 percent in agriculture. Use is concentrated in Greater Accra and regional capitals.

The census counted personal mobile money accounts as digital payments, and researchers noted that most firms using digital tools rely on those personal accounts, which cost more and work less well for trade. The institute’s director, Peter Quartey, said about 95 percent of surveyed individuals had used digital payments as consumers, against roughly 37 percent of businesses. The report urged better fraud prevention, stronger digital literacy among owners and staff, and clearer proof of the benefits.

Mastercard, which says it opened its first Accra office in 2025, argues that acceptance tools with built in fraud protection can close the gap. It points to a collaboration with DPO Group that lets businesses take mobile money and wallet payments from local and foreign customers on one platform. Those claims come from the company and could not be independently verified.

GH¢800,000 Spiritual Fraud: Media Worker Bilyaminu Ibrahim Remanded; Journalist Mohammed Musah Also Detained

Attractive Mustapha
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GH¢800,000 Spiritual Fraud: Media Worker Bilyaminu Ibrahim Remanded; Journalist Mohammed Musah Also Detained

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded Bilyaminu Ibrahim, a media worker, and Mohammed Musah, a journalist, into police custody over an alleged GH¢800,000 fraud scheme involving a Ghanaian resident in the United States.

The prosecution alleges that Ibrahim posed as a spiritualist and, together with Katakaraou Jabiru, obtained money from Tourwana Katakarauo after claiming that she and her mother were facing spiritual attacks.

According to Chief Inspector Ramata Asumah, who is leading the prosecution, Jabiru allegedly learned in 2021 that Tourwana was experiencing difficulties in the United States and allegedly devised a plan with Ibrahim to obtain money from her.

Jabiru allegedly told Tourwana’s younger sister, Fawuziya Issaka, that he knew a spiritualist who could help the family.

Ibrahim allegedly assumed the role of the spiritualist.

The prosecution said Tourwana subsequently sent GH¢800,000 in instalments, allegedly for sacrifices and other spiritual activities intended to prevent attacks against her and her mother.

The alleged fraud reportedly continued with claims that Tourwana’s late father had an outstanding debt to an unknown person who intended to haunt her spiritually.

Further payments were allegedly requested for Quran recitals and other spiritual activities.

In 2023, after Tourwana’s mother reportedly suffered a stroke, Jabiru allegedly told Ibrahim that another person was attempting to cause a similar attack.

The prosecution said additional money was allegedly collected to provide spiritual protection and redirect the supposed attack to its “sender.”

The family reportedly attempted to settle the matter through family elders, but the issue was eventually reported to the police.

During investigations, Ibrahim allegedly admitted that he had posed as a spiritualist. Police reportedly recovered GH¢49,000 from him.

The prosecution also accused Musah of helping Jabiru avoid arrest.

Jabiru allegedly fled to Togo after learning of Ibrahim’s arrest but returned to Dodowa in September 2026 and stayed with Ibrahim and Musah.

When police visited Jabiru’s residence on October 1, Musah allegedly told officers that Jabiru had gone out. He later allegedly sent Jabiru a message stating, “Don’t come to the House.”

The prosecution said Musah admitted sending the message because he did not want Jabiru to be arrested.

Jabiru remains at large.

Ibrahim and Musah are scheduled to return to court on October 20, 2026, before Mr Joseph Kunsong.

Musah has denied the charge of harbouring a criminal.

Farmers Cry Out Over Destruction Of 250-Acre Farmland By Investor

Robert Ayanful
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Farmers Cry Out Over Destruction Of 250-Acre Farmland By Investor

Farmers at Kwesi Twi Krom (KTK), near Agona Asafo in the Agona East District of the Central Region, have appealed to the government and relevant authorities to intervene in what they describe as the destruction of their livelihoods following the bulldozing of more than 250 acres of farmland.

According to the affected farmers, an investor whose identity remains unknown allegedly cleared the land with heavy machinery after claiming to have acquired it for pineapple cultivation.

Briefing the media on their predicament, a former Assembly Member for the Fawomanye Electoral Area, Mr. Albert Quainoo, who spoke on behalf of the farmers, said the affected farmlands contained cocoa, yam, oil palm, cassava, plantain, vegetables, and several other food and cash crops.

He alleged that the farms were levelled with an excavator without prior consultation or engagement with the farmers who had cultivated the land for many years.

Mr. Quainoo further claimed that the incident had contributed to the death of one of the affected farmers, who reportedly died from shock after learning of the destruction.

According to him, about three years ago, two individuals identified as Yaw Nkum and Kwesi Agyei, members of the royal Yogo Clan of Agona Asafo, attempted to evict the farmers on the grounds that the land had been sold.

However, he said that when the matter was brought before the wider clan, members denied any knowledge of the purported sale and halted the eviction process.

A section of the more than 250 acres of farmland at Kwesi Twi Krom in the Agona East District that farmers say was cleared by an investor, destroying food and cash crops.
A section of the more than 250 acres of farmland at Kwesi Twi Krom in the Agona East District that farmers say was cleared by an investor, destroying food and cash crops.

Mr. Quainoo stated that the farmers were therefore shocked when they woke up last week to discover that their farms had been cleared.

“When we came here, we saw that our farms had been completely destroyed without any notice or consultation. This is our only source of livelihood,” he said.

A view of the devastated farmland at Kwesi Twi Krom after crops including cocoa, cassava, plantain and oil palm were allegedly destroyed
A view of the devastated farmland at Kwesi Twi Krom after crops, including cocoa, cassava, plantain, and oil palm, were allegedly destroyed

When journalists visited the community to assess the extent of the destruction, several farmers expressed disbelief and frustration over the development and appealed to the government and other relevant authorities to intervene urgently.

The farmers indicated that more than 150 people had their farms destroyed and warned that the situation could have serious social and economic consequences for families in the community if immediate action was not taken.

They explained that many households depended entirely on the affected farms for their income and daily sustenance.

Some of the farmers said they were now relying on support from relatives living elsewhere as they struggle to cope with the loss of their livelihoods.

The affected farmers are therefore calling on the government, traditional authorities, security agencies, and other stakeholders to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged destruction of the farmland and ensure that justice is served.

MTN, MobileMoney Fintech LTD Storm Ashaiman Markets to Reward Loyalty

Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
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MTN, MobileMoney Fintech LTD Storm Ashaiman Markets to Reward Loyalty

MTN Ghana and MobileMoney Fintech LTD (MMFL) have intensified their nationwide customer engagement drive, storming the Ashaiman Timber Market and Kuffour Station to appreciate customers, address service concerns and deepen engagement with traders and business owners.

The outreach, held as part of MTN’s 30th anniversary and Customer Service Week celebrations, brought senior executives and staff directly to customers to gather firsthand feedback, provide support and educate the public on digital financial services, self-service options and fraud prevention.

Teams of MTN Ghana and MobileMoney Fintech LTD officials were deployed across Ashaiman, moving from shop to shop to engage traders, business owners and other customers on their experiences with the companies’ services.

The engagement provided customers with a direct platform to raise concerns, share feedback and seek clarification on various services, while the teams presented gifts to selected customers in recognition of their loyalty and continued patronage over the years.

Outreach Goes Beyond Anniversary Celebration — MoMo CEO

Speaking during the engagement, the Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Fintech LTD, Mr Shaibu Haruna, said the outreach reflected the company’s commitment to staying close to its customers and understanding their evolving needs.

He explained that officials had been divided into groups to enable them to reach more customers across the Ashaiman Timber Market, Kuffour Station and other parts of the township.

According to him, the exercise went beyond an anniversary celebration, serving as an important avenue for obtaining firsthand information about customers’ experiences and identifying areas where services could be improved.

Mr Haruna noted that while sales and customer-facing teams interacted with the public regularly, direct engagements involving senior executives provided deeper insight into some of the practical challenges customers encountered when using the companies’ services.

He said feedback gathered through such engagements was critical to developing products and services capable of delivering meaningful value to individuals, traders and businesses.

Mr Haruna described micro and small enterprises as a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy, stressing that digital financial services must respond effectively to the everyday needs of traders and entrepreneurs.

He identified payments, savings, investments and insurance as key areas where technology and digital financial solutions could help small businesses operate more efficiently and strengthen their financial resilience.

According to him, MobileMoney Fintech LTD would continue to develop innovative solutions aimed at making financial services more accessible, convenient and relevant to customers.

He cited the introduction of a self-service PIN reset feature on the company’s mobile application as one of the innovations designed to improve convenience for customers.

The feature, he explained, allows customers to reset their PINs without having to travel to a physical service centre, reducing inconvenience and giving users greater control over their accounts.

He stressed that customer satisfaction remained central to the company’s mission, pledging to continue engaging users and introducing targeted innovations that respond to their needs while delivering secure, accessible and convenient telecommunications and financial services.

MTN Dedicates Month to Customers

The Chief Customer Relations Officer of MTN Ghana, Mrs Jemima Kotei Walsh, said the company had dedicated the entire month to appreciating customers and listening directly to their concerns.

She said taking the engagement to markets and business centres was deliberate, as it enabled MTN executives to meet customers in their own environments and gain a better understanding of their expectations and experiences.

According to her, the response from traders and other customers in Ashaiman had been encouraging, with many taking advantage of the exercise to raise questions, seek clarification and provide feedback on MTN’s services.

Mrs Kotei Walsh said customer feedback remained an important component of MTN’s operations because it helped the company identify service gaps and determine areas requiring improvement.

She stressed that MTN’s relationship with its customers went beyond the provision of telecommunications services, adding that sustained engagement was essential to building trust and delivering services that responded to customers’ changing needs.

Fight Against MoMo and Cyber Fraud

Mrs Kotei Walsh stated that the company would continue to intensify public education to help customers recognise fraudulent schemes and take appropriate measures to protect their accounts, personal data and funds.

She urged subscribers to remain vigilant and strictly avoid sharing sensitive information, particularly their Mobile Money PINs, with third parties.

Additionally, outreach teams guided users relying on USSD channels through available self-service options, empowering them to execute key transactions and manage their accounts independently without visiting physical service centres.

According to her, the initiative forms part of MTN’s broader efforts to equip customers with the knowledge and tools needed to access and use digital financial and telecommunications services safely, securely and conveniently.

Nationwide Customer Engagement

Mrs Kotei Walsh disclosed that similar market engagements were being undertaken concurrently in Kumasi and Takoradi as part of MTN’s 30th anniversary and Customer Service Week activities.

She said additional engagements were planned in other regions to ensure that more customers across the country had the opportunity to interact directly with the company.

The Ashaiman outreach forms part of MTN Ghana’s activities marking three decades of operations and its broader customer appreciation campaign.

The company said feedback gathered from the market engagements would help shape efforts to improve products, customer experience and overall service delivery.

The exercise also provided an opportunity for MTN Ghana and MobileMoney Fintech LTD to reinforce their commitment to digital inclusion by ensuring that customers, particularly traders and small business operators, were equipped to benefit from emerging digital financial solutions.

Ghana FA Cup Final Moves To Two Legs

Roger A. Agana
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Ghana FA Cup Final Moves To Two Legs

The Ghana FA Cup final will be played over two legs for the first time, the Ghana Football Association announced Tuesday, ending the single match decider.

The first leg is set for June 5 to 7, 2027, and the second for June 12 to 13. Finalists will now need two matches, about a week apart, to settle the trophy. The association called the move “a significant departure from the traditional single-match final.”

The format changes an earlier plan. A calendar the association published for the 2026/27 MTN FA Cup had the final on the weekend of June 5 to 6, 2027, with no mention of a second leg. This season’s competition opens with the preliminary round from October 23 to 26 and runs through June.

Last season’s final was a single match. Dreams FC met Nations FC at the University of Ghana Stadium on May 31, 2026, with the winner taking a place in the Confederation Cup.

The announcement did not say how the two legs will be hosted, or how a tie level on aggregate will be decided.

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