Last month, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) relaunched the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) as a living document to reignite public engagement and guide the country’s long-term development agenda.
The ambitious initiative forms part of a broader vision to transform Ghana’s economic and physical landscape by its 100th year of independence in 2057 and was launched by the President, John Dramani Mahama.
Originally developed in 2016 to support the 40-Year Development Plan (2018–2057), the GIP was revised in 2019 to respond to changing national priorities. However, both plans saw limited progress, prompting renewed attention to infrastructure as a catalyst for sustained economic growth and national competitiveness.
Some of the strategic projects in the Ghana Infrastructure Plan
The GIP provides a roadmap for developing Ghana’s critical infrastructure across multiple sectors, with emphasis on energy, transport, housing, ICT, and environmental sustainability. In the energy and power sector, the plan outlines two transformative projects: the construction of a new 60,000 barrels-per-day oil refinery in the Western Region, and the establishment of Ghana’s first nuclear power plant by 2029.
These will secure the country’s energy future, reduce dependence on imported fuels, and drive industrial growth. Transport and mobility form another major pillar of the plan. The GIP proposes new road infrastructure, including three long-span bridges across the Volta Lake, circular and arterial road systems for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, and bypasses along major trunk routes in towns such as Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast and Takoradi. A four-lane Accra–Kumasi freeway and a coastal freeway – part of the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor Project are envisioned.
The rail sector is expected to undergo major expansion. Plans include a direct railway connection between Tema Port and Boankra Inland Port, and Ghana’s first underground rail system linking Accra and Adenta. Additional suburban rail systems are proposed for Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi–Takoradi, alongside national north–south and transversal routes and a Trans-ECOWAS line. Aviation and marine transport also feature prominently. The plan proposes the development of a new international aerotropolis at Prampram through public–private partnership arrangements, a new Kumasi Airport at Ankaase, and the upgrading of regional airports to support tourism and trade.
Fishing ports and landing sites are to be developed along the coast to boost marine transport and local livelihoods. The plan also envisions a modern smart city at a strategic location and the creation of approximately 520,000 hotel rooms through private sector participation. Other proposals include expanding access to water and sanitation through new peri-urban and urban supply systems, promoting ICT through technology parks, incubators and business processing outsourcing centres in all districts, and constructing teaching hospitals in every medical training institution. The plan also commits to developing electric vehicle charging networks nationwide.
The Scale of Investment Required
According to the NDPC, Ghana will need to invest about US$37.2 billion annually over the next 30 years to achieve the goals of the GIP. This translates into a total investment of approximately US$1.1 trillion between 2018 and 2047. A further 237.4 billion dollars will be needed for maintenance, bringing the total infrastructure requirement to roughly US$1.35 trillion over the 30 years. Meeting this target poses a serious financing challenge.
Ghana’s current fiscal space cannot sustain such levels of investment, and the country’s lower middle-income status means official development assistance is expected to decline. With limited domestic revenue and rising debt servicing obligations, traditional financing methods will not be sufficient to deliver the scale of development envisaged.
Exploring Innovative Financing Options
To address the financing gap, the NDPC has proposed several alternative strategies. These include land-based financing and value capture, promoting value addition to the country’s mineral resources through local manufacturing, reducing illicit financial flows, and leveraging the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) to attract a larger share of international infrastructure financing.
While these are promising approaches, they are unlikely to generate the full volume of resources required. Relying solely on public borrowing would further strain national debt levels, which already pose macroeconomic risks. This reality makes it essential to explore models that combine public oversight with private sector investment and efficiency.
Public–Private Partnerships as the Preferred Model
Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) offer a practical and sustainable path for mobilising large-scale infrastructure financing without adding significantly to public debt. PPPs also enable the private sector to bring technical expertise, innovation and efficiency to project delivery and management. Although the GIP identifies some projects, such as the hotel and tourism developments, as PPP-driven, most of the proposed initiatives remain silent on funding mechanisms.
A systematic approach is needed to determine which projects are suitable for PPP implementation and which require traditional public financing. It is therefore recommended that a panel of PPP experts be established to assess the financial and technical viability of proposed projects. This will help ensure that the PPP model is applied strategically and consistently, reducing fiscal pressure while maintaining the quality and sustainability of infrastructure investments.
Strategies that will make PPP work in Ghana
A key challenge to effective PPP implementation lies in institutional capacity. Many ministries, departments, agencies and local assemblies lack the necessary expertise to identify, structure and manage PPP projects. The Ministry of Finance, working with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, should lead efforts to build technical knowledge and develop frameworks for creating bankable projects that can attract credible investors.
Once institutional capacity has been strengthened, Ghana must also work to enhance investor confidence. This can be achieved through targeted communication, transparent regulatory practices, and proactive promotion of projects. Organising investment roadshows and partnerships both locally and abroad will give potential investors greater visibility into the country’s infrastructure opportunities.
Laying the Foundation for Ghana’s Centenary Vision
The relaunch of the Ghana Infrastructure Plan represents more than a policy exercise; it is a renewed commitment to building the foundations of a modern, competitive and sustainable economy.
Achieving the GIP’s vision by 2047, and ultimately by 2057, will depend on sustained political will, coordinated planning and innovative financing. If Ghana succeeds in mobilising resources through effective use of public–private partnerships and strategic investment management, the nation could witness one of the most significant infrastructure transformations in its history.
The author is a PPP expert based at Anglia Ruskin University, UK. He is a Director at Innovation Inc (www.innovationinc.group) and can be reached at: joseph.ofori@aru.ac.uk
