Senior Manager for Real Estate Financing at Absa Bank Ghana, Nana Kwadwo Boakye-Akyeampong, has said deliberate planning and an investor-friendly environment are critical to attracting the capital required to finance city infrastructure and sustainable urban development.

Speaking during a roundtable discussion at the 2026 Citi Business Festival on the theme “Building Competitive Cities: Infrastructure, Innovation and Investment for Sustainable Economic Growth,” Mr Boakye-Akyeampong said financiers assess infrastructure projects against clear commercial and development criteria before committing funds.

According to him, projects are more likely to attract financing when they demonstrate clear value, credible projections and commercially sustainable returns. He added that macroeconomic conditions, including exchange rate stability, inflation and interest rates, also influence investment decisions, particularly where projects require foreign capital.

“Attracting investment into our cities requires more than ambition. It requires proper planning and a conducive investment environment. Financiers prioritise projects that demonstrate clear value, realistic projections and sustainable returns, while also considering macroeconomic factors such as exchange rate stability, inflation and interest rates, especially where foreign capital is involved,” he said.

Mr Boakye-Akyeampong said Ghanaian cities must become more competitive if they are to attract long-term capital, businesses and skilled talent. He noted that investors are more likely to commit to locations with reliable infrastructure, efficient public services and well-planned urban systems.

He also identified land ownership and registration challenges as major concerns for investors, stressing that clear property rights and efficient registration processes are essential to building investor confidence.

Touching on public-private partnerships, Mr Boakye-Akyeampong said PPPs can provide an effective approach to financing infrastructure projects by allowing governments and private sector players to share resources, risks and expertise.

“Until we resolve the land ownership and registration challenges that continue to undermine investor confidence and embrace public-private partnerships that allow governments and private sector players to share resources, risks and expertise, we will struggle to unlock the funding our urban infrastructure needs,” he said.

He added that long-term sustainability must remain central to infrastructure planning to ensure projects continue to create value for both investors and the public.

The Citi Business Festival is organised by Citi 97.3 FM and Channel One TV, in partnership with Absa Bank. The month-long initiative brings together business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and industry experts for conversations on enterprise growth, innovation, investment and national development.