THE third Ghana Chieftaincy Awards and Royal Investment Summit initially scheduled for October3-5, 2025 has been pushed to May 8–9, 2026.
The event, which celebrates the enduring role of chiefs and traditional rulers in national development, will still be held at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ashanti Region.
Also, all previously confirmed invitations and partnerships remain valid.
According to a statement issued by organisers of the event, Obokese Foundation and the Black Star Experience Secretariat, the decision was reached after wide consultations with traditional leaders, government officials, development partners and international collaborators.
The new dates, they explained, would allow for broader participation, stronger partnerships and improved preparations which will give the event the global attention it deserves.
“This is not just about postponing an event, it is about positioning Ghana’s traditional leadership where it belongs — at the heart of development, culture and investment,” the statement noted, assuring that the 2026 edition would be the most impactful so far.
Since its launch in 2021, Ghana Chieftaincy Awards has steadily grown into a platform celebrating innovation, resilience and contributions of chiefs, queen mothers and other traditional authorities.
Earlier this year, Deputy Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ms Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, who launched the 2025 edition, praised the initiative as one which gives recognition to traditional rulers and highlights their role in peacebuilding and socio-economic transformation.
The awards also entered a groundbreaking partnership with the Black Star Experience to bring a fresh cultural shine and a stronger link with the African diaspora.
For Presidential Staffer for Blackstar Experience, Rex Omar, the new timeline is an opportunity rather than a setback.
Speaking to Graphic Showbiz on Saturday, September 20, he said the rescheduling provides more space for the awards scheme to achieve the global impact organisers are working towards.
“This delay is not a setback — it’s a chance. We want the Ghana Chieftaincy Awards to shine on the global stage. To do that properly, we must get the planning, involvement, and energy right. With more time, more chiefs, more partners, more diaspora friends can come on board,” he said.
Rex Omar explained that his vision is to see the event move beyond being just an awards night to becoming a cultural and lifestyle experience.
“For us, Black Star Experience is a lifestyle — it is how Ghanaians and those who love Ghana live Ghanaian identity every day. Whether through our music, our food, our clothes or our traditions, this awards platform must reflect that,” he added.