GIPC Demands Harmonized Investment Rules for SMEs

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Abdul Razak Baba, has stepped forward with a bold vision for a borderless investment landscape at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, as it reached its crescendo.

Representing the Centre, the DCEO participated in a high-level panel focused on the twin engines of continental growth: financing and cross-border value chains.

His message was unequivocal – to capture the 1.5-billion-consumer single market, Africa must stop competing with itself and start harmonizing its rules.

The discussion featured an elite cross-section of leaders, including Dr. Ebiekure Jasper Eradiri of the Association of African SMEs and Boatemaa Barfour-Awuah of Star Assurance.

Together, they navigated the complexities of scaling businesses under the AfCFTA, with Mr. Baba emphasizing that the current fragmented investment laws across the continent act as an “invisible barrier” to entry for local firms.

“There is the need for harmonised African investment facilitation, and shared practical insights on how businesses can tap into Africa’s 1.5-billion-consumer single market through resilient cross-border value chains” Abdul Razak Baba, DCEO of GIPC noted.

A significant portion of the dialogue focused on the “liquidity gap” facing Ghanaian SMEs.

Mr. Baba argued that traditional commercial banking is often ill-suited for the long-term, high-growth trajectory of cross-border expansion. He called for a strategic shift toward impact-oriented capital – investment that prioritizes sustainable development and job creation alongside financial returns.

By attracting investors who are committed to the social and economic fabric of the continent, the GIPC can build SMEs that are not just profitable, but resilient – ensuring that as businesses scale across the Sahel or into the Southern African development zones, they maintain the structural integrity needed to withstand global market shocks.

Legislative Reform

For Ghana to remain the gateway to the single market, internal reforms are non-negotiable. Mr. Baba used the platform to highlight the proposed GIPA Bill, a landmark piece of legislation designed to modernize Ghana’s investment framework.

According to the GIPC boss, this bill is expected to “streamline the registration of foreign and local joint ventures,” providing a clearer legal pathway for the cross-border value chains discussed during the panel.

Furthermore, he announced the upcoming Ghana International Investment Summit (GIIS), with the summit positioned as the primary matchmaking ground where the “1.5-billion-consumer” opportunity meets global capital.

Mr. Baba explained that the GIIS will serve as a practical laboratory for the ideas discussed at the Dialogue, bringing SMEs face-to-face with the impact investors Mr. Baba champions.

The panel, moderated by Brenda Wagura, also featured practical success stories from the private sector, including Sulley Amin Abubakar of Zaacoal and Dr. Wanida Lewis of Crescendo Foods.