The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare has charged Ghanaian businesses to step up and be counted or remain hidden in the market.

Speaking at the Alisa Hotel during the 'Made-in-Ghana FIFA World Cup 2026 Expo,' on Friday, April 17, the Minister declared that Ghana must seize the World Cup not just as a football spectacle, but as a defining commercial opportunity.

“This media launch of the Made-in-Ghana FIFA World Cup 2026 Expo is more than a press event. It is the moment Ghana chooses to step onto the world’s largest sporting stage, not only as a footballing nation, but as a country with products to sell, stories to share, and talent ready to meet the world,” she said.

With Ghana’s senior national team set to camp in Boston, Madam Ofosu-Adjare painted a strategic picture of opportunity, describing the American city as fertile ground for Ghanaian exports.

“Boston is home to Harvard, MIT, and a financial district that quietly moves trillions of dollars around the world. Its consumers are among the most educated and globally minded anywhere… and most important of all, Boston is home to a vibrant, hard-working Ghanaian diaspora community that has been waiting for a moment like this,” she noted.

The Expo, scheduled for June 22–23, 2026, will coincide with peak tournament attention, a timing the Minister believes is invaluable.
“It is the moment when global attention reaches its peak… when our Black Stars’ performances create a visibility money simply cannot buy,” she emphasised.

Drawing parallels with global economic transformations powered by sport, she argued that Ghana must follow the path carved by industrial giants.

“Big sporting events are never just about sport.

They are among the most powerful trade and soft-power platforms the world has ever known… In 2026, we intend to use Boston to tell Ghana’s story, and my friends, it is a story worth telling.”

At the heart of her message was a clear economic target: expanding Ghana’s non-traditional exports from $4 billion to $10 billion before the decade ends.

“With the right platforms and the right partnerships, I believe we can lift that figure to USD 10 billion… This Made-in-Ghana Expo is one of the stepping stones that will take us there,” she stated.

She outlined Ghana’s competitive strengths—from kente and artisanal crafts to agro-processed goods and a fast-growing digital economy.

“We bring an artisanal heritage… already commanding premium prices in American and European markets. We bring world-class agro-processed products… and in beauty and wellness, our producers are positioned to claim their share of the global African beauty market,” she said.

The Minister also spotlighted Ghana’s digital transformation.

“Ghana's digital economy is growing over 30% annually, producing fintech innovators, software developers, and scalable digital services quietly reshaping the country's identity.”

Commending Litina Travel and Tours, she praised the scale and intent of the initiative.

“They are building a platform that weaves together sports diplomacy, export promotion, diaspora engagement, travel logistics, and brand building… in one of the most competitive commercial environments in the world.”

She pledged government backing beyond the Expo.

“We will open doors through the Ministry’s networks… and walk with the businesses that attend, long after Boston, to make sure conversations become contracts, and contracts become lasting partnerships.”

But it was her direct appeal to Ghanaian businesses that delivered the sharpest message.

“The 2026 World Cup is a window that will open once, and close quickly. The cost of staying away is to remain invisible. The reward of showing up is the chance to transform your business forever,” she warned.

“Register. Prepare. Show up with your very best. The world is coming to Boston, and Ghana must be at the table, not watching from the stands.”

She extended the call to the diaspora, describing them as critical commercial bridges.

“You are our most powerful commercial network… be the trusted bridge that carries our products into homes, stores, and boardrooms across America.”

And to the media, she assigned a central role in shaping the narrative.

“You are not just observers today. You are active partners in this journey. Tell this Made-in-Ghana story with the weight it truly deserves.”

In closing, framed the initiative as part of a broader national reset.

“Macroeconomic stability has returned, investor confidence is rebuilding… The Black Stars will carry our flag on the pitch. Our entrepreneurs will carry it in the marketplace… Every product sold, every handshake exchanged, and every contract signed will be a quiet vote of confidence in Ghana’s economic future.”

With that, she formally launched the Litina Travel and Tours FIFA World Cup 2026 Made-in-Ghana Business Expo, urging a united national push towards Boston.

“Let us march into Boston together, united, prepared, and utterly unshaken in our belief in what this country is capable of.”