News

The CEO of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Sam Cohen, has arrived in Accra for a programme of meetings our Strategic Partner’s and key Ghanaian institutions, taking place alongside the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Her visit comes at a pivotal moment for Ghana as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat and as a leading voice in advancing practical continental trade integration. The programme reflects CWEIC’s focus on the mechanics of trade, the institutions, finance, logistics, and energy systems that enable businesses to operate across borders in real terms.

The CEO was accompanied by CWEIC Strategic Partners, including Dr Bimal Kantaria, Managing Director at Elgon Kenya; Mr Kayode Adeleke, CEO, and Madhu Madathil, COO, at RusselSmith; and Dulaj Vimukthi Manoarachchige, Operations Director at Esna Jewellery.

Africa Prosperity Dialogues

APD, convened by the Africa Prosperity Network in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, is widely regarded as a practical forum for translating the promise of the AfCFTA into outcomes for businesses, particularly SMEs, women-led enterprises, and youth entrepreneurs. Its 2026 theme, “Empowering SMEs, Women & Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade.”, closely mirrors CWEIC’s own priorities.

In her official opening remarks, Sam drew a clear link between the AfCFTA and the Commonwealth network, noting that 19 African Commonwealth countries sit at the heart of this integration agenda and that the Commonwealth Advantage can help African firms scale beyond borders.

“These headline figures only matter if they translate into opportunity on the ground — for small businesses, young entrepreneurs, and women-led enterprises.”
“This integration must work for businesses of all sizes.”

Meetings across Ghana’s trade, finance and energy ecosystem

Earlier in the day, Sam and the delegation held discussions with Afreximbank represented by Gwen Mwaba, Managing Director for Trade Finance, where the focus was on how trade finance underpins cross-border commerce for SMEs. Following this, CWEIC was pleased to facilitate a meeting for RusselSmith with the Ghana Maritime Authority to discuss maritime trade facilitation and port efficiency, through their additive manufacturing capabilities.

A subsequent meeting with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation explored energy investment and Ghana’s broader regional economic role.

The afternoon continued with engagements at the Ghana Shippers Authority and with Mr Alex Dadey, Chairman of KGL Group, each reinforcing the importance of ensuring that the policy ambition around AfCFTA translates into operational ease for businesses.

The day concluded with a stakeholder dinner at Santoku, hosted in partnership with Africa House, which is led by CWEIC Advisory Board Member, Shanthi Annan, offering an opportunity to reflect on Ghana’s leadership within the AfCFTA agenda and the role Commonwealth businesses can play in supporting that ambition.