UK and Ghana Launch Growth Partnership Worth Over 215 Million Pounds

The governments of the United Kingdom and Ghana have launched a new Growth Partnership aimed at creating jobs, strengthening infrastructure, expanding trade, and improving skills development across Ghana, with deals worth up to 215 million pounds signed during the agreement’s unveiling.

The partnership was formally signed on June 1, 2026, during the official visit of President John Dramani Mahama to the United Kingdom and is expected to guide bilateral cooperation from 2026 to 2028. It builds on deals struck during the Ghana Investment Summit in London and focuses on attracting private investment, boosting trade, and supporting industrial and infrastructure development.

At the heart of the agreement is a 101 million-pound UK-supported maritime infrastructure project to develop the first commercial-scale ship repair and dry-docking facility in the Gulf of Guinea. The Takoradi Floating Dock Project, known as ShipRite, is being delivered in partnership with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and is expected to create up to 430 direct jobs, with approximately 30 percent reserved for women. The facility aims to position Ghana as a regional maritime hub while reducing emissions linked to long-distance vessel travel for repairs.

The partnership also includes a 5 million-pound Green Project Preparation Facility designed to help transform climate-focused infrastructure concepts into bankable projects. Hosted by Financial Sector Deepening Africa in collaboration with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, the initiative is expected to unlock up to 180 million pounds in infrastructure deals over the next three years.

In the area of environmental sustainability, UK-based Mere Plantations announced plans to scale up reforestation activities in Ghana through an 85 million-pound investment fund. Supported by the Forestry Commission, the initiative is expected to restore degraded lands, create jobs, and position Ghana as a destination for nature-based investment. Additional investment will be directed toward forest restoration in the Oti Region, where Rainforest Builder plans to inject 9 million pounds into environmental conservation and livelihood projects.

Technology and innovation feature prominently in the agreement. A new collaboration backed by 6 million pounds in UK funding will support the implementation of Ghana’s Artificial Intelligence strategy and strengthen science and technology partnerships between institutions in both countries. Ten new physics partnerships have been established through collaboration between Ghanaian and UK universities.

Education and skills development also form a key pillar of the partnership. New Transnational Education guidelines are expected to facilitate partnerships between Ghanaian and UK institutions, providing greater access to quality education and training opportunities. A 4 million-pound five-year partnership between a UK training provider and Ghana-based Mangel Klicks will deliver specialist clinical engineering training to strengthen healthcare systems and technical skills across Ghana and the wider region.

British High Commissioner to Ghana Christian Rogg described the partnership as one that would deliver practical benefits to ordinary people. “This Growth Partnership is about real change people can see and feel. It means more skilled jobs, stronger ports and transport links, better access to finance, and new opportunities for young people and women across Ghana,” he said.

The agreement comes as Ghana and the United Kingdom mark five years of the UK-Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement, which entered into force in 2021. Bilateral trade between the two countries has grown to approximately 1.6 billion pounds, representing a 12.5 percent increase since 2024.

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