Mr Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, an Entrepreneur and keynote speaker at the summit organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG), said Ghana was at a defining moment in her development journey and must position itself to benefit from the global shift towards intelligence-driven economies.

According to him, while previous economic eras created wealth through land, machines and information, the next phase of global development would be driven by the quality of decisions made by individuals, businesses and nations.

He said artificial intelligence should be seen not merely as a technology initiative but as a strategy for industrialisation, productivity enhancement, competitiveness and nation building.

Mr Amoafo-Yeboah said countries that would succeed in the coming decades would be those capable of preserving knowledge, learning continuously and applying experience effectively across sectors.

He therefore proposed the creation of a “National Intelligence Layer” to help preserve institutional knowledge and improve decision-making in business.

The proposal formed part of discussions at the Made-in-Ghana Business Summit 2026, held on the theme: “Unlocking Regional Potential: Driving Industrialisation, Youth Entrepreneurship, Job Creation and Made-in-Ghana Prosperity.”

The summit also echoed calls for stronger regional economic development as a means of reducing pressure on Accra while creating opportunities in other parts of the country.

Mr Sam Ato Gaisie, Founder and Chairman of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, said Ghana’s prosperity depended on expanding investment and enterprise development beyond the national capital.

He noted that every region possessed unique economic strengths capable of supporting industrial growth, job creation and wealth generation.

Mr Gaisie advocated greater collaboration among government, the private sector, development partners and investors to promote regional industrialisation and entrepreneurship.

The concept of the Intelligence Age refers to the growing application of Artificial Intelligence(Ai), machine learning and advanced digital tools to improve decision-making and productivity across economies.

Globally, governments and businesses are increasingly investing in AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and support innovation.

For Ghana, discussions around AI come at a time when government is pursuing industrialisation and economic transformation policies aimed at expanding local production and creating employment opportunities.

Addressing the summit on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said recent disruptions in global supply chains had created opportunities for Ghana to strengthen its position as a manufacturing hub within the sub-region.

She noted that government had approved policies covering textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals, automotive components and agribusiness as part of efforts to attract investment and expand industrial production.

The Minister also highlighted interventions under the Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Programme, Feed the Industry Initiative, 24-Hour Economy Programme and Accelerated Export Development Programme.

The Made-in-Ghana Business Summit is an annual forum that brings together policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors and development partners to discuss strategies for promoting local production, industrial growth and export competitiveness.