By Rebecca Ampah
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has announced plans to host Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTACC) in Ghana from December 9 to 12, 2026.
The event, being organised in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), is expected to bring more than 600 international participants to Ghana.
Addressing business leaders at the Ghana CEO Vision & Awards, the Minister called on corporate institutions, creative industry players and the general public to support the festival, which she said would provide opportunities for various sectors of the creative economy.
She said the organisers were looking to attract approximately 3,000 Ghanaians to participate in the event alongside the international visitors.
“The African Union is bringing almost 600 people. They’re flying in over 600 people to Ghana, and I need about 3,000 Ghanaians to join for us to have an immense, safe cultural experience,” she said.
The Minister indicated that the festival would create opportunities for filmmakers, theatre artists, fashion designers, food industry players and businesses within the hospitality sector to showcase their products and services.
She appealed to corporate Ghana to support the initiative through investment, sponsorships, advertising and other forms of partnership. “Our doors are open. We’re ready to do business with you. We need your support. We need your investment. We need you to back us up with adverts to pay for them,” she appealed.
The Minister emphasised that the success of the event would require collaboration between government and the private sector, adding that the Ministry was ready to work with businesses to deliver the festival.
She also used the occasion to highlight the economic potential of Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative arts industries, urging business leaders to recognise them as viable areas for investment and national development.
She said Ghana must take deliberate steps to commercialise its cultural heritage and creativity to generate wealth, attract foreign exchange and create sustainable opportunities for future generations.
