A former President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Dr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has challenged the newly inducted executives of the Association, as well as government, to capitalize on what he describes as a rare shift in the global economic order to drive Ghana’s industrialization agenda.
Speaking at the investiture ceremony of the new AGI President on January 21, 2026, Dr. Oteng-Gyasi argued that recent changes in the global economy present a strategic opportunity for Ghana to strengthen its manufacturing base.
He noted that the emergence of Trumpism has pushed the world’s largest economy toward protectionism, marking a departure from decades of free-trade-driven globalization.
Dr Oteng further added that, “The advent of Trumpism has shifted the focus of the world’s number one economy toward protectionism, to the extent that the much-aligned use of tariffs as a total economic and political strategy is back in full force and openly so. To be blunt, I think this is an opportunity for the country to launch a full-scale industrialization agenda,”
The former AGI President further observed that the world is witnessing a historic move away from unfettered globalization toward a more protectionist global order, a shift he described as a once-in-a-century opportunity for Ghana.
Dr. Oteng-Gyasi emphasized the central role of manufacturing in national development, stressing that industrial growth has far-reaching benefits across the economy.
He asserted that, “When manufacturing succeeds, every other sector does well. This is the time to recognize that we have a once in a century opportunity to allow manufacturing to grow and thrive as the bedrock of this economy,”
The Association of Ghana Industries is the leading advocacy body for industrial and manufacturing businesses in the country, playing a key role in shaping policy dialogue between the private sector and government.
The investiture of new AGI executives comes at a time of global economic uncertainty, marked by rising trade barriers, geopolitical tensions, and a renewed emphasis by major economies on domestic production. Analysts believe these shifts could create openings for developing countries like Ghana to expand local manufacturing, reduce import dependence, and strengthen value addition.
