John Dramani Mahama has unveiled plans for a major public-private partnership (PPP) to develop a state-of-the-art convention and creative events centre, positioning Ghana as a leading hub for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) in West Africa.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) in Parliament on Friday, February 27, 2026, the president said the new facility will be developed in collaboration with the private sector to expand Ghana’s capacity to host large-scale international conferences, trade fairs and creative industry events.

The proposed centre forms part of a broader strategy to modernise national events infrastructure and attract global business and cultural tourism.

The PPP initiative will complement government’s ongoing refurbishment of key national venues, including the State Banquet Hall, which has been closed for several years due to structural concerns, and the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), where renovation works are set to begin in the coming weeks following a structural integrity assessment by the original contractors.

Refurbishment of the National Theatre of Ghana is also expected to commence shortly.

According to the President, the new convention and creative complex will serve as a modern, purpose-built venue capable of hosting exhibitions, concerts, festivals and business summits, while creating jobs and stimulating growth across tourism, hospitality and the creative arts value chain.

He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting content creation and new media as employment drivers.

To support the broader creative ecosystem, the 2026 budget allocates ₵20 million each to the National Film Authorityand the Creative Arts Agency.