The 2026 Eastern Regional Expo is providing a platform for businesses, institutions and entrepreneurs to showcase products, innovations and investment opportunities, with exhibits spanning raw and processed agricultural products, energy-generating and energy-efficient products, made-in-Ghana fabrics, glass and metal wares, beadwork, ceramics and plastic wares.
The week-long exhibition, which runs from September 26 to October 3 at Jackson Park in Koforidua, forms part of the maiden Eastern Expo 2026, held under the theme “Unlocking Opportunities for Sustainable Trade, Tourism and Investment”. The expo is spearheaded by the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.
380 Booths Installed for Exhibitors
Mama Atseshi I, the Queen Mother of the Ave-Afiadenyigba (Dzayime) Traditional Council, supervised the management and decoration of the Expo grounds under a contract awarded by the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council. The work included the installation of 380 booths and stands with canopies for exhibitors participating in the event.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mama Atseshi I encouraged the public to visit the exhibition grounds. She said the expo offered opportunities for people to explore businesses, exchange ideas and build partnerships. She noted that expos created avenues for stakeholders to share knowledge and learn from one another, adding that such interactions could support business growth and contribute to regional development.
Investment Forum, Women and Youth Programmes
Beyond the main exhibition, the week-long event features a number of activities aimed at promoting investment, entrepreneurship, youth development, women’s participation in business and tourism. These include the Eastern Commodity Satellite Market, an Investment Forum, a Women in Business Empowerment Forum and Youth Development activities. The programme also features an Indigenous Food Festival, Fashion Showcase, tourism promotion, cultural performances and a Musical Concert.
The expo is expected to bring together tourism operators, businesses, exhibitors, investors, policymakers and members of the public to showcase products and services, exchange ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Tourism Ministry, Trade Ministry Lead the Charge
The official opening ceremony was held on Monday, September 28, with the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, leading the ceremony. The expo is also fused with Ghana’s World Tourism Day celebration, which was observed globally on Sunday, September 27 under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”.
A sensitisation workshop provided a platform for discussions on the opportunities and challenges presented by digital technology and artificial intelligence in the tourism industry, as well as ways of promoting sustainable tourism practices and investment.
Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Sampson Ahi, who represented Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare as Special Guest of Honour at the expo on September 28, said the region must move beyond showcasing its resources and focus on converting its economic potential into revenue, jobs and improved livelihoods.
$1.9 Billion Investment Base Showcased
The Ministry of Trade said the Eastern Region attracted 44 wholly Ghanaian-owned projects valued at more than $1.9 billion between 1994 and December 2025, alongside 164 foreign-backed projects spanning agriculture, manufacturing, services, tourism and trade. The figures underline the region’s existing investment base while providing a platform for authorities and businesses to pursue additional capital into sectors seen as capable of generating jobs and expanding economic activity.
Stakeholders at the event called on prospective investors to put their plans in place and invest in the Eastern Region, citing the potential for mutual investment returns.
A Region with Untapped Potential
The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has called on investors to explore and tap into the vast but largely untapped resources and investment opportunities in the Eastern Region. She said the region’s peaceful and stable environment provides a level playing field for businesses to compete, grow and thrive.
She noted that the Eastern Region boasts vast tracts of land, mineral resources and a skilled human resource base capable of supporting large-scale investments, as well as several tourist attractions with significant potential for redevelopment, including Boti Falls, Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Kwahu Mountains and the Akosombo Dam.
The Minister expressed excitement over the enthusiasm and patronage recorded at the expo, describing the response as an indication of the growing confidence in the Eastern Region’s potential.
24-Hour Economy Anchors Region’s Industrialisation Agenda
The expo comes as the government positions the Eastern Region as a major anchor of Ghana’s second wave of industrialisation under the 24-Hour Economy programme. Goosie Augustus Obuadum Tanoh, Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, announced at the opening that three industrial parks are being developed in the Kwahu Afram Plains, with GB Foods anchoring a food and beverage park and Koforidua designated as a centre for regional garment manufacturing.
He said the Volta Economic Corridor would cover 75 districts, including ten in the Eastern Region, linking production centres in areas including the Kwahu Afram Plains, Asuogyaman, Manya, Kwahu East and South, Fanteakwa and Yilo Krobo to markets through improved transport infrastructure.
The Presidential Adviser also highlighted the Accra-Kumasi Expressway as a project that would strengthen the region’s position as a trade and production corridor, with interchanges planned at Adeiso, Asamankese, Akyem Oda and Ofoase.
Health Walk and National Security Participation
Activities began on Saturday, September 26, with a health walk aimed at promoting wellness and encouraging public participation in the celebrations. The event brought together hundreds of participants from various security agencies and public institutions, including the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, through the Total 2 and Total 1 areas before ending at Koforidua Jackson Park, where participants took part in an aerobic session.
What Happens Next
Organisers say the Eastern Expo 2026 is designed to unlock opportunities for sustainable trade, tourism and investment while positioning the Eastern Region as a vibrant destination for business and tourism. With exhibitions, seminars, investment forums and cultural showcases forming part of the programme, the event is expected to attract significant attention from businesses, investors, development partners and members of the public.
The Eastern Region is therefore inviting entrepreneurs, businesses, investors, tourists and the general public to join the Eastern Expo 2026 at Jackson Park, Koforidua, until October 3, 2026.
