Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has called on American investors and the Ghanaian diaspora in Nashville, Tennessee, to explore investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in agriculture, mining, healthcare, infrastructure and digital technology.
The Ambassador made the call during a meeting with the Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, Freddie O’Connell, at Nashville City Hall on October 30, 2026, as part of his four-day official visit to Tennessee.
The discussions focused on strengthening economic relations between Ghana and Nashville, with particular emphasis on attracting investment, promoting local manufacturing and creating sustainable employment opportunities.
Ambassador Smith stressed the need for investors to support Ghana’s efforts to process its raw materials locally rather than export them in their unprocessed forms.
He specifically identified cocoa, shea butter and coffee as commodities with significant potential for value addition and industrial development.
According to him, attracting investment into local manufacturing and processing would help create well-paying jobs and address the growing trend of young Ghanaians travelling abroad in search of better economic opportunities.
He maintained that successful diplomacy should be measured not only by high-level engagements but also by the investments attracted, businesses established and lives improved.
Presenting Ghana as a gateway to the African market, Ambassador Smith highlighted the country’s stable democratic environment, rule of law, English-speaking workforce and strategic position as host of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He noted that Ghana’s position within the continental trade arrangement provides investors with access to a market of approximately 1.4 billion people.
The Ambassador also outlined investment opportunities in gold and lithium mining, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure and digital technologies, noting that targeted government incentives were available to support investors.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell welcomed the Ghanaian delegation and highlighted the existing cultural and family connections between Nashville and Ghana, strengthened through the city’s Sister Cities programme.
He expressed interest in sustaining trade discussions between the two sides, identifying healthcare and technology as key sectors for potential collaboration.
The Mayor also acknowledged the contributions of the Ghanaian diaspora to Nashville, particularly Dr. Addae, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Conscious Group, whom he described as an example of the diaspora’s contribution to the local community.
Dr. Addae, speaking at the meeting, said Ghanaians in Nashville were actively exploring ways to channel diaspora resources into structured investments in Ghana.
He noted that although remittances remain an important contributor to Ghana’s economy, there was a need to strengthen investment mechanisms that would enable diaspora funds to support businesses and development projects back home.
He further highlighted efforts by the Ghanaian Embassy to promote local production, establish supply chains and develop logistics partnerships to reduce the country’s dependence on imported finished goods.
The meeting was attended by a delegation comprising Michael Yamson, Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund; Dr. Addae; Elijah Annor, President of the Ghanaian Association of Middle Tennessee; and Marian Mahmoud, Senior Advisor to The Conscious Group.
Nashville’s Senior Director for Economic and Community Development, Jamari Brown, also participated in the engagement.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
