Ghana is finally getting the world-class convention centre it’s been waiting for. The new Ghana Trade Fair Convention Centre is currently under construction in Labadi, Accra. It is set to open its doors in September 2025 – and the venue will dwarf all existing infrastructure in Ghana.
At 20,000 capacity, this facility will dwarf anything Ghana currently has, offering nearly ten times the space of the country’s largest existing venues. To put it in perspective, most major entertainment venues in Ghana today can barely squeeze in 3,000 people.
Decades in the works
This project has been a long time coming. As vice-president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia noted during a recent site visit, “For a very long time, government after government have not been able to execute this particular project.”
The centre represents the fulfilment of an ambition that dates back to Ghana’s founding President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who originally envisioned a major convention facility as part of his development plan in the 1960s. With Ghana hosting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra, the timing is ideal. The facility will help to position Ghana’s capital city as a hub for major conferences and events.
Improving infrastructure
The infrastructure is steadily improving across the board. Bawumia praised the advanced state of construction, noting that essential services – roads, fibre optic cables, water and electricity – are all being put in place. The $200m project forms part of a broader billion-dollar redevelopment of the entire site.
The centre promises to transform Ghana’s entertainment landscape, offering artists and promoters the scale they need to create truly spectacular shows while keeping ticket prices reasonable for audiences. With construction on track for the September 2025 deadline, Ghana’s long-awaited convention centre is finally becoming reality.
