Benjamin Pinewood
For decades, discussions about U.S.-Ghana trade and investment have largely focused on a familiar set of destinations. New York has long served as a gateway to global finance, Washington remains central to international policymaking, and California continues to occupy a prominent place in conversations about technology and innovation. While these markets remain important, they no longer tell the full, or only, story of where economic growth, business investment, and commercial opportunity are occurring within the United States.
Increasingly, some of the most dynamic economic activity in the country is taking place in the American Southeast. For Ghanaian businesses, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs seeking meaningful engagement with the U.S. market, this shift deserves careful attention.
This development is occurring at a particularly important moment for Ghana. As host of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Ghana occupies a strategic position within Africa’s efforts to deepen regional economic integration. The AfCFTA seeks to create a single African market and reduce barriers to trade across the continent, with the broader goal of increasing intra-African commerce and strengthening Africa’s role in the global economy. The Secretariat describes the initiative as a market of approximately 1.4 billion people.
At the same time, Ghana’s economy has shown encouraging and robust signs of improving stability. In August 2026, the World Bank reported that Ghana had made significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability and emphasized that sustaining the recovery and translating it into jobs and improved livelihoods would require continued fiscal discipline and stronger revenue mobilization. Against this backdrop, it is worth examining where some of the most significant opportunities are emerging within the United States.
North Carolina has become a major destination for business investment and expansion. According to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the state reported 58 economic development projects, 7,249 announced jobs, and $5.6 billion in announced capital investment through the second quarter of 2026. Nineteen of those projects were foreign direct investment projects, representing 13 countries, 3,571 announced jobs, and $2 billion in investment.
Particularly noteworthy is the Research Triangle region, anchored by Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. This area benefits from a concentration of universities, research institutions, technology companies, and life sciences businesses. Recent investment announcements across North Carolina have included substantial projects in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing, while reporting on the state’s growth has consistently identified workforce and the university talent pipeline as significant advantages.
For Ghana, this is relevant because several sectors prominent in North Carolina, including life sciences, technology (including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence), higher education, advanced manufacturing, and financial services, overlap with areas in which Ghanaian businesses and institutions are seeking greater capacity, investment, and international collaboration. The potential relationship is therefore broader than trade in goods. It may include university partnerships, research collaboration, professional services, workforce development, and carefully structured investment relationships.
Atlanta likewise warrants attention. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport describes air cargo as an important economic generator and notes that its cargo facilities connect directly to the region’s interstate network. The airport also states that more than 200 million people are within a two-hour flight or one day’s trucking distance of Atlanta. Atlanta’s connectivity, corporate presence, and established African diaspora make it a practical market in which Ghanaian enterprises can test opportunities and ideally identify commercial partners.
For Ghanaian businesses operating in sectors such as agribusiness, logistics, infrastructure, technology, aviation, financial services, and manufacturing, the Southeast offers access to established commercial networks and growing markets. That does not mean every Ghanaian company should enter through Atlanta or North Carolina. Market entry should follow a disciplined assessment of customers, regulation, capital requirements, logistics, talent, and the company’s capacity to operate in the United States. It does mean that the Southeast should be considered deliberately rather than treated as secondary to more traditional U.S. gateways.
Washington, D.C. should remain part of Ghana’s engagement strategy. Cross-border commercial activity may involve federal trade rules, export controls, sanctions, development finance, immigration requirements, and other regulatory considerations. For Ghanaian companies and institutions, access to Washington is therefore not merely diplomatic. It can be important to understanding the legal and policy environment in which U.S.-Ghana transactions are structured and evaluated; this is an important consideration.
From my perspective as a Ghanaian American attorney working in the United States, future growth in U.S.-Ghana commercial relations will depend not only on national-level diplomacy but also on sustained relationships among businesses, universities, investors, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and regional economic development organizations. Those relationships take time. They also require institutional commitment and a clear understanding of what each market can offer the other.
Ghana’s position within the AfCFTA and the Southeast’s record of attracting investment create a credible basis for deeper engagement. For Ghanaian businesses looking toward the United States, the practical question is not simply whether opportunities exist. It is whether they are examining the full map and building relationships in the regions where their sectors, capabilities, and ambitions are most likely to align.
The author, Nana Asante-Smith, is a proud Ghanaian-American attorney, civic leader, and advocate for stronger connections between Ghana and its global diaspora. She is an associate at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, where her practice focuses on government investigations, regulatory matters, employment issues, and business disputes. Beyond her legal work, she serves on the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board, where she contributes to the governance of one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing transportation hubs. Nana is actively involved in initiatives that promote economic development, leadership, and community engagement across North Carolina.
Raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Nana’s connection to Ghana has remained a defining part of her personal and professional journey. She is passionate about the role that Ghanaians abroad can play in advancing investment, innovation, education, and cultural exchange between Ghana and the United States. Through her work, writing, and community leadership, she seeks to help build meaningful relationships that benefit both Ghana and the diaspora. Nana believes the future of Ghana will be shaped not only by those who live within its borders, but also by those around the world who remain committed to its success.
Nana was recently named one of North Carolina’s 50 Most Influential Women and has received numerous honors recognizing her leadership, professional excellence, and contributions to the legal and business communities.
Source:Omanghana
