Once again Nordic Ghana Investment Services (NorGhis) would make Ghana exceptionally visible at this year’s Nordic-African Business Summit in Oslo on October 26.

The Summit is the single largest Nordic Business Conference focusing exclusively on African markets in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, including Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Åland Islands).

The theme for this year’s Summit is “How to Invest in Africa’s Transition” with the Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia being the keynote invitee.

Rich Ocloo, Francis Kwamena Acquah and Tete Kobla Agbota formed NorGhis in 2011 with the goal to make Ghana a visible investment destination for investors and businesses from Norway and other Nordic Countries.

Tete Kobla Agbota, the CEO of NorGhis, said a central strategy to achieve this aim has been to get prominent Ghanaians as keynote invitees to Nordic-African Business Summit.

Besides that, the Business Summit NorGhis relays information on business to authorities to advance the interest of Ghana.

“When we had the information that Norfund, the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries had decided to open an office in West Africa, we alerted former President John Mahama. We relayed what we have done for the office to be located in Accra. Acting upon this information, he met with the main decision makers when he was in Oslo in 2014,” he said.

Francis and Tete Kobla

He said the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Hege Hertzberg, also gave them the needed support.

Some eminent Ghanaians who have been to the Nordic Business Summit include former President Mahama, former Minister Fiifi Fiavi Kwettey and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Mr. Agbota disclosed that it has not been an easy job getting these prominent persons to Oslo as it requires hard work, perseverance, patriotism, dedication and a ‘large portion’ of voluntary spirit.

“We are grateful that Eivind Fjeldstad, the CEO of Norwegian African Business Association (NABA) agreed to invite the Vice President as the Keynote Speaker for the 2017 Summit,” he said.

Mr. Acquah said they have built a network of reliable individuals and organizations in Ghana, who have become a relevant conduit between investors and projects who can identify investment opportunities.

For instance, we have cooperation with INNOHUB Ghana via Nelson Amo and with Debenture Trust Company Ghana Limited, via George Ahiafor and Kwaku Agbottah.

Mr. Ocloo underscored the comparative advantage of Norway in Oil and Gas and Aquaculture which the country can take advantage of with the Vice President in attendance.

He disclosed NorGhis has plans on how these two areas can be harnessed to create wealth, jobs and reduce poverty.