President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday used the opening of the 8th Africa-Singapore Business Forum to pitch Ghana as a "reliable gateway" to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), calling Africa "investable" and urging deeper South-South partnerships amid a more fragmented global economy. "We are here to learn, to partner, and to deliver," President Mahama said at his first engagement on a three-day state visit to Singapore. "Africa is investable, and Ghana is your reliable gateway to the continent." Framing Africa and Asia as the world's "two youngest, fastest‑urbanising regions," Mahama said the pair are complementary in resources, markets and know‑how, and should be "champions of open markets, trusted rules and practical partnerships that deliver jobs, technology transfer and shared prosperity." President Mahama also warned that "the death knell of multilateralism is sounding" as tariffs proliferate and supply chains remain fragile, arguing that tighter global financial conditions demand new alliances.
He, however, insisted the fundamentals in Africa are compelling: a 1.4 billion‑strong population that is young and digitally connected; a $3.4 trillion single market under the AfCFTA; and leadership in mobile money and fintech adoption.
Trade ties are already deepening.
Mahama noted Africa-Singapore trade climbed about 50% between 2020 and 2024 to nearly $14 billion, with West Africa accounting for more than half.
