Ghana must significantly boost its local engineering capabilities to convert growing international investments into concrete developmental projects. Eng. Alex Omaghomi, Group CEO of Zilex Holdings and Hostplace Group, stated this at the Ghana-UK Investment Summit 2026 in London. He argues that strong indigenous Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) capacity is vital for long-term economic gains.
Mr. Omaghomi highlighted that global investors are increasingly targeting Ghana's energy, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. However, without a robust local capacity to execute projects, many investment commitments may not translate into tangible outcomes. This focus on local execution capability underpins Ghana's ability to attract, retain, and fully benefit from foreign capital.
This call aligns with Ghana's broader economic strategy to industrialize and ensure food security. The nation aims to become a leading investment destination in West Africa. Achieving this requires deliberate efforts to strengthen local engineering expertise, improve project management, and enhance technical training. Furthermore, actively involving indigenous firms in major infrastructure and energy projects will retain more value within the Ghanaian economy.
Eng. Omaghomi, drawing on his experience leading EPC projects across Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom, asserted the crucial role of EPC companies. He stated, “The real measure of development is not the value of commitments announced at conferences but the projects successfully delivered on the ground.” This emphasizes a shift from securing pledges to achieving practical implementation.
Moving forward, Ghana needs deeper collaboration among government, investors, financial institutions, and private-sector delivery firms. Such partnerships will ensure that investment commitments yield measurable economic outcomes. The development of local capacity will support industrialization, create jobs, and foster urban development, driving Ghana’s long-term growth objectives. This focus on domestic capability will likely influence future government policies on local content and skills development within the infrastructure sector.
Zilex Holdings' participation in the summit underscores its commitment to supporting sustainable development. The company focuses on agricultural, real estate, and oil and gas infrastructure across Ghana, Nigeria, and Africa. Their involvement signals the private sector's readiness to invest in and benefit from enhanced local engineering capacity within these key economic areas. Increased local participation could also impact project costs and timelines positively.