President Mahama has assented to the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Act (Act 1173), officially transforming the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) into the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority(GIPA).
This bill, assented July 15, 2026, will extend the mandate and enhance both the institutional and enforcement powers of this authority.
The new Act 1173, which replaces and repeals the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act 2013 (Act 865) is expected to conform to the Ghana’s investment laws with the emerging best practices in the space.
Following the assent by the President,GIPA will now serve as the national focal institution for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol on investments.
Some key features of this reform include:
•The removal of blanket minimum capital requirements for wholly foreign-owned enterprises and joint ventures with Ghanaian partners, while maintaining a reduced threshold for trading enterprises.
•The introduction of a statutory Investor Grievance Mechanism and enhanced investor protection measures.
- The establishment of a One-Stop-Shop, citizenship-by-investment, and expanded expatriate quota thresholds.
- Mandates support for the outward expansion of Ghanaian businesses into regional and global markets.
Speaking on the back of this, the Chief Executive Officer for GIPA, Mr Simon Adjei described the legislation as a milestone in the country’s economic narrative,adding that it will enhance Ghana’s operations not only locally, but on the international stage as well.
“The Authority we are building today is designed to respond to investors with the speed, transparency, and consistency that global capital demands, while ensuring that the benefits of investment are shared broadly across Ghanaian communities,” he stated .
Mr Simon Adjei also added that Ghana “is better equipped now to and to position Ghana as the preferred gateway to a continental market of over 1.4 billion people under AfCFTA,”
The Authority then urged all GIPC-registered enterprises to familiarise themselves with the new statutory requirements, including the annual registration renewal regime and other transitional arrangements.
The enactment of Act 1173 marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s investment promotion framework by expanding the authority’s mandate and strengthening its institutional and enforcement powers.
About The Author
