US Embassy Urges Gov’t to Fix Policies, Infrastructure to Unlock Ghana’s Creative Economy

The US Embassy in Ghana is calling on government to strengthen policies and build the right infrastructure to ensure the country fully benefits from its fast‑growing creative industry.

Speaking at the Creative Economy Summit held at the Google AI Community Center in Accra, Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, said government holds the key to unlocking jobs, investment and global competitiveness in the sector.

“To the government officials, you hold the pen on the policies, tax structures, IP protections, production financing that determine whether Ghana captures the full value of its own cultural exports, and whether American companies feel comfortable investing in Ghana,” Olson stated. He added that contract sanctity matters, stressing that creators must be properly compensated for their work.

Olson noted that the global demand for authentic storytelling presents a major opportunity for Ghana. He pointed to the success of international content on platforms like Netflix, including Nollywood films, as proof that strong stories travel far.

“Good storytelling is resonant anywhere in the world… You can end up watching a show from Denmark or India simply because it’s really good,” he said. “The opportunity to have exchanges on these things as this environment evolves is really valuable.”

Addressing creatives, Olson urged them to insist on telling their stories in their own voice, while encouraging investors to deploy capital early to build infrastructure that will allow the next generation to work at scale.

“Like any other sector, this sector creates jobs, builds competitive advantage, attracts investment, and supports entrepreneurship and innovation,” he added.

Describing the summit as a starting point for deeper collaboration between Ghana and the US creative sectors, Olson said the Embassy remains committed to working with government, creatives and investors to expand economic opportunities and strengthen bilateral ties through the arts.

BY Prince Fiifi Yorke