President John Mahama has unveiled an ambitious plan to position Ghana as West Africa’s premier hub for international conferences, exhibitions and entertainment events, announcing immediate steps to upgrade key national infrastructure.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Friday, President Mahama outlined a bold vision anchored on modern, world-class facilities capable of attracting high-profile global gatherings.

 Central to that plan is the refurbishment of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) and the construction of a new, state-of-the-art convention and creative events complex.

“Mr. Speaker, in line with our new national efforts to bring events and conferences to Ghana, we are going to undertake the refurbishment of the Accra International Conference Centre to restore it to its iconic past as the country’s national and international events and conference venue,” the President declared.

The AICC, long regarded as one of the country’s flagship venues for major state functions and international conferences, is set to undergo structural improvements aimed at restoring its former prestige and functionality.

President Mahama disclosed that the original contractors who built the facility have already been engaged to evaluate its current condition. According to him, a structural integrity assessment was conducted at the request of the Office of the Chief of Staff.

“Mr. Speaker, the original contractors of the centre have conducted a structural integrity assessment at the request of the Office of the Chief of Staff and made recommendations for the facility’s renovation and refurbishment. They will commence this work in the next few weeks,” he announced.

The move signals the government’s intent to not only preserve an important national asset but also upgrade it to meet contemporary standards required to host international meetings and large-scale events. (Read President Mahama pledges GH¢20million to boost Ghana’s film and creative industries)

However, the President was clear that renovating the AICC alone would not be sufficient to achieve Ghana’s broader ambitions.

“But Mr. Speaker, the AICC is not enough for a country seeking to develop its creative sector and become West Africa’s destination for meetings, conferences, musicals, concerts, and entertainment,” he stated.

To address this gap, President Mahama revealed plans for a new, larger and more versatile convention and creative events centre to be developed through a public-private partnership. The proposed facility is expected to significantly expand Ghana’s capacity to host major gatherings across various sectors, including business, diplomacy, arts and entertainment.

 With work set to commence in the coming weeks on the AICC and later this year on the new facility, the government’s strategy signals a renewed push to leverage infrastructure development in advancing Ghana’s creative and events economy.