When the Gateway is too Expensive to Enter: How High Cost of Living Risks Ghana’s Gateway to Africa Tag

“How much be minimum wage for Ghana?? Everything here cost 3x Nigeria own. Ghana too expensive abeg.”

This is a tweet of a frustrated West African visitor to Ghana that captures a sentiment that is becoming all too common. Ghana’s high cost of living is biting hard, not just for locals but also for visitors. Ironically, at the same time, the country continues to tout itself as the “Gateway to Africa.”

The uncomfortable question is whether this accolade can survive the reality of a country where the price of almost everything, from rent to food to utilities, feels out of reach.

A Gateway That’s Too Expensive to Enter

For years, the “Gateway to Africa” narrative has been one of Ghana’s strongest selling points. With political stability, relative peace, and a welcoming environment, Ghana has positioned itself as the hub for investors, multinationals, and even regional diplomacy. It hosts the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra and regularly attracts international conferences and summits.

The tag was recently featured in President John Dramani Mahama’s engagement with investors when he visited Japan and Singapore to attract partnerships and investments.

But the truth must be told. Being a gateway is not just about positioning and branding; it’s about affordability and accessibility. If doing business in Ghana costs significantly more than in neighboring countries, investors and traders may simply bypass the “gateway” altogether.

In other words, a gateway that is too costly to enter risks becoming irrelevant.

Everyday Costs That Shock Visitors and Locals Alike

For ordinary Ghanaians, the complaints of high prices are normal, yet citizens are never able to adapt. For example, rent in Accra often rivals that of some European and American cities.

A survival need as food, has its prices rising with every cedi depreciation and fuel price increase. As for utility bills, they are programmed to increase periodically, eating deeply into household incomes. A carton of milk, a loaf of bread, or even basic fuel can feel like luxuries for the average worker earning the minimum wage.

As narrated by visitors from countries like Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, or Togo who took to social media to vent their frustration, the shock is even more pronounced. A simple restaurant meal, taxi fare, or hotel booking in Accra can cost three times more than in Lagos or Abidjan.

Why This Matters for Business and Investment

The high cost of living directly impacts business competitiveness. Multinationals setting up shop in Ghana often face inflated operating costs, from housing expatriate staff to paying for local services.

Entrepreneurs complain that the cost of inputs, utilities, and transportation makes it hard to compete regionally.

When Ghana is compared side by side with neighbors offering cheaper labor, more affordable housing, and lower utility costs, the “gateway” advantage becomes less convincing. Some firms are already exploring cheaper hubs for regional operations, using Ghana only as a transit point rather than a base.

In addition, while Ghana’s tourism sector works to attract more foreign tourists into the country, it must be noted that apart from the attractive tourist sites, the peace, the stability, the welcoming environment, one other determining factor is the value of every dollar spent in the country. If the country is too expensive to live in, other alternative countries will be sought.

Can Ghana Afford This Gateway Dream?

For Ghana’s “Gateway to Africa” agenda to hold, the government must address the fundamentals that make the gateway a “hell” to live in.

The age-old challenge of inflation and cedi stability to ensure price predictability and stability is imperative. There is a need to aggressively expand affordable housing to ease pressure on rents in Accra.

As many economists and agric sector players have always trumpeted, improving food and energy supply chains is needed to lower production and transport costs.

As some businesses engage in unfair business practices due to market conditions, the government must work to tackle monopolistic practices that allow arbitrary price hikes.

Without these measures, the dream risks becoming what many critics call a mirage, a catchy slogan with little substance on the ground.

The Bottom Line

Ghana has the credibility, peace, and strategic location to be a true gateway to Africa. But if the first impression visitors get is that everything costs three times more than back home, the shine quickly fades.

A gateway is supposed to open doors, not shut them with prohibitive costs. Ghana must therefore confront its high cost of living with the urgency it deserves; else the “Gateway to Africa” tag will in no time fade away.

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