The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat had signed Joint Development Agreements worth about US$5.5 billion with its co-development partners as of May 2026, within a project pipeline of US$11.5 billion.

In a statement in reaction to the Minority Spokesperson on Economy and Development, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, it said the programme's target is to create 1.7 million decent jobs by the end of 2028. This includes direct, indirect and induced jobs.

It added that the four agreements signed in the past 90 days have combined targets of more than 160,000 direct jobs.

Though it acknowledged Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah’s question about what the 24-Hour Economy has delivered, and the subsequent reportage is fair and deserves a factual answer, the statement argued that the 24H+ Programme is Ghana's programme for structural economic transformation: producing more of what we consume and exporting more of what we produce.

“First, how much money has Parliament voted for the 24-Hour Programme? The GH¢650 billion cited by Oppong Nkrumah is the total that Parliament has appropriated for all government programmes over the past two years, as the Honourable Member himself indicated. It is by no means the expenditure made by or on the 24-Hour Economy”.

“Second, who funds the 24H+ Programme? Section 18 of the 24-Hour Economy Authority Act spells out the funding mechanism. Almost all of the projects are funded by private investors: Ghanaian and foreign companies and cooperatives. Public funds pay for project preparation and viability gap funding where projects need it to become bankable, and provide seed funding for the Secretariat's coordination work, with the understanding that the 24-Hour Economy Authority becomes self-financing after its first few years “, it said.

“Third, what is the right measure of Programme success? The right measure is the investment the Programme mobilises and the production, exports and jobs it generates. The goal is an unemployment rate below 5 per cent by 2034, down 9.7 percentage points from the 14.7 per cent rate as at September 2024”, it explained.

“Fourth, what has the programme delivered? The start may appear slow; that is deliberate. Phasing allows us to ensure that the right policies are in place, that our investors, especially our SMEs, are ready and sustainable, that appropriate land titles are in place and conflict-free land is available, and that businesses can expect reliable electricity supplies”, it added.

Some 24-Hour Economy Projects

On some expected projects, the 24-Hour Economy office said the Buipe solar and battery project, a US$1.45 billion investment, will generate 1,500 megawatts and supply industrial power at 6.0 to 9.0 US cents per kilowatt-hour.

“Its first phase is due to be completed in the third quarter of 2027, and its job target is 13,000. The Kambonwule oil palm complex, a US$250 million investment, will produce 228,000 tonnes of crude palm oil a year at maturity for domestic consumption and export. Its job target is 120,000. The bioenergy programme at Buipe and Damanko has a job target of 30,000 and will save about USD 450 million a year in foreign exchange and generate export earnings”.

At the Tamale Air Cargo Hub, it said the 24H+ Secretariat and Ghana Airports Company Limited have demarcated land, and two operators have secured concessions and are expected to begin services in 2027. “Under the Participatory Land Access Model, communities across the country are voluntarily leasing their land to these projects and, in return, receive annual rentals and shares in the projects”.

It continued that a multi-shift operation is also underway, stating the downstream petroleum 24-Hour Economy Programme, launched with the National Petroleum Authority in May 2026, now has 12 Oil Marketing Companies providing 24-hour services, day and night, to the public across 268 filling stations. “The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, the Ghana Publishing Company and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority are running 24-hour services, and 33 manufacturers have commenced multi-shift operations in response to the programme”.

The Secretariat continued that it has completed its design through consultation with industry, including the service industry, investors and development partners, and is finalising it with the Ministry of Finance, so that the package is commercially attractive to firms and sustainable for the public finances.

It added that the government will announce it with clear conditions and timelines.   

Conclusion

It concluded that in the months ahead, the evidence of the 24-Hour Economy programme in motion will be available for the public to verify through their own experiences: at filling stations open through the night, on factory floors running second and third shifts, at project sites across the country and, over time, in rising production, more job opportunities, higher investment and exports, falling imports and a more self-reliant economy.

The Secretariat welcomed scrutiny and will keep answering it with facts and evidence.