Global Immersion: Ghana: A Gateway for Entrepreneurship

Africa’s economy has grown significantly over the last several years, and among countries in Africa, Ghana has been a standout. Overall, Ghana is experiencing a period of robust economic stabilization, with the IMF recently revising the country's GDP growth forecast upward to 4.8% for 2026 following a strong 6.0% expansion in 2025. Investment is being aggressively attracted by the government’s new "24-Hour Economy" policy, which provides tax incentives and cheaper power to businesses operating multiple shifts to boost industrial output. A major driver of this influx is the country's reputation as the "Silicon Valley" of West Africa, a title earned through its high concentration of fintech startups and a digital-first infrastructure that outpaces its neighbors. Ghana also has focused on taking traditional businesses such as agricultural exports, and building out new infrastructure in manufacturing. Consequently, Ghana has repositioned itself as a leading gateway for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offering a stable, innovative hub for Western firms looking to scale across the continent. This course aims to train students’ knowledge of entrepreneurial ecosystems, i.e. their understanding of how the institutional laws, environment, and government policies, affect entrepreneurs across an ecosystem – using Ghana as a case study. A West African country with 29 million inhabitants, Ghana is changing rapidly but predicting how it will change and who will be able to capture entrepreneurial value is affected by the environment facing entrepreneurs. In this course we will peel back the component of institutional environments affecting entrepreneurs, using Ghana as our case study. This will allow students who want to invest in startups or build start ups of their own, valuable knowledge about how to “see” what is often hidden beneath the surface, but that affects the day to day lives of entrepreneurs. In addition to understanding entrepreneurship in West Africa, and Ghana in particular, the course should also strengthen student’s cultural intelligence, i.e. their capabilities to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings. Please note this class will meet in the B term, and travel to Ghana will take place during December 12-19, 2026. This class adheres to full term add/drop but will not have a class meeting during the A term add/drop week; please reach out to the faculty or Chazen Institute with any questions you may have. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. The 2026-2027 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2500 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Please visit the Chazen Institute website to learn more about the Global Immersion Program, and visit the Global Immersion Policies page to review policies affecting these courses. Only second year students may participate in Global Immersion Program fall courses; please note exams scheduled during this week may be rescheduled and papers due during that week are expected to be turned in by their due date at the discrepancy of the faculty. Please reach out to them early to request these exceptions. Please note all international travel involves risk. We do not control the cities and companies we visit. We try our best to plan a safe trip with positive experience. However, if your tolerance for risk or uncertainties is low, GIP is not for you.