‎"It Is to Your Own Disadvantage": What Mahama Told Western Investors About Africa

I'm assuming you mean President Mahama's warning to hesitant investors, mostly Western ones. He did not say outright that "the West will lose investment." His point was that those who hesitate risk being left behind as others move in.

What he said
Speaking at the Africa Summit session in London on 21 October 2026, Mahama said: "It's to your own disadvantage if you're skittish about Africa. Everybody is coming; the Chinese are here, the Indians are here."

He urged the global community not to hesitate, warning that the cautious risk being left behind as other powers move in. The same remarks appear in Graphic Online's report: "The returns are good, and everybody is coming."

The message to the West
He said Ghana's door is open to all. He noted that the country welcomes partnerships with the European Union, the United States and Russia alike.

He called Ghana's foreign policy "friends to all, enemies to none," and named America, the EU, China and Russia as partners it is equally friendly to, on condition of fair returns for everyone. Western investors are not shut out. If they stay cautious, rivals will take the best opportunities.

Why investors hesitate, in his view
Mahama has long argued that perceived risk is overstated and mispriced. At the FT summit, he said capital markets penalize African economies with an unjustified risk premium, with African sovereigns borrowing at rates up to eight times higher than Western peers. In June he told investors in London: "Africa is not a risk to be managed. Africa is an opportunity to be seized."

The Moscow follow-through
A week later, at the Russia-Africa Summit, he made the same case to Russian business. He called on Russian businesses to deepen investment in Ghana's agriculture, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and digital economy.

He urged partners to adopt investment models that deliver equitable, long-term returns for all parties and to end dependency on aid and raw-material extraction. He also told Putin it was time to move from political to economic cooperation.

Analysis
The remark combines a sales pitch with leverage. By pointing to Chinese and Indian activity, and then courting Moscow, Mahama signals that Western capital is not indispensable. Critics may say the language is competitive posturing, and that Russia's investment record in Africa is thin.

One analysis notes Russia accounts for only about 1% of foreign direct investment in Africa. Whether Western investors respond will depend on risk ratings, debt reform and local value-addition rules, which he has also pushed.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880

References
Ghanamma / Citi FM, "Everybody Is Coming; The Chinese And Indians Are Here" (21 Oct 2026): https://www.ghanamma.com/2026/10/21/everybody-is-coming-the-chinese-and-indians-are-here-mahama-urges-investors-not-to-overlook-africa/

Ghanamma, "'It Is To Your Own Disadvantage If You're Skittish About Africa'" (22 Oct 2026): https://www.ghanamma.com/2026/10/22/it-is-to-your-own-disadvantage-if-youre-skittish-about-africa-mahama-tells-the-world/

Graphic Online, "Africa must chart new course": https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-africa-must-chart-new-course-president-mahama-challenges-african-leaders-to-drive-value-addition.html

ModernGhana, "'Friends to All, Enemies to None': What Mahama Told the World's Investors": https://www.modernghana.com/news/1538860/friends-to-all-enemies-to-none-what-mahama.html

3News, "The global order is rigged against Africa": https://3news.com/news/the-global-order-is-rigged-against-africa-mahama-raises-concerns

The Presidency of Ghana, "Africa is seeking mutually beneficial partnerships, not aid dependency": https://presidency.gov.gh/africa-is-seeking-mutually-beneficial-partnerships-not-aid-dependency-president-mahama-at-russia-africa-summit/

GBC Ghana, "President Mahama courts Russian investment": https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/president-mahama-courts-russian-investment-in-ghanas-agriculture-energy-and-digital-economy/2026/

3News, "Time is ripe for Ghana-Russia economic cooperation": https://3news.com/news/time-ripe-for-ghana-russia-economic-cooperation-mahama-tells-putin

MyJoyOnline, "Africa is an opportunity to be seized, not a risk to be managed" (3 June 2026): https://www.myjoyonline.com/africa-is-an-opportunity-to-be-seized-not-a-risk-to-be-managed-president-mahama-tells-uk-investors/

Kola King (Substack), "Russia-Africa summit provides a global stage for Moscow to puff up its influence" (FDI figure): https://kolaking.substack.com/p/russia-africa-summit-provides-a-global