Prof Stephen Adei urges Ghanaian businesses to build brands on quality, trust and innovation

Former Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Rector, Professor Stephen Adei, has urged Ghanaian businesses to build competitive brands on quality, reliability, integrity and innovation to strengthen the country’s reputation in international markets.

He said Ghana’s brand must be built on the consistent value its businesses deliver rather than how the country is perceived globally, stressing that promotion alone would not earn lasting confidence without quality products and reliable services.

Speaking at the 37th CIMG Annual National Marketing Performance Awards at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Saturday, October 17, 2026, Prof Adei said artificial intelligence (AI) was creating new opportunities for businesses to reach consumers, develop products and compete beyond Ghana’s borders.

He noted that small businesses, agribusinesses and manufacturers could use digital tools to access new markets, but cautioned that technology alone would not guarantee success.

“The real opportunity lies in using innovation to create products and services that people need, value, and trust,” he said.

Prof Adei called for a shift from exporting raw materials to developing competitive Ghanaian brands, describing marketing as essential to connecting production with demand and communicating the distinctive value of Ghanaian products and services.

He said trust remained central to sustainable business relationships, even as technology transformed how brands engaged consumers.

“Trust is not just a matter of reputation. It is an economic asset,” he said, explaining that customers remained loyal to brands that kept their promises, investors backed credible businesses, and international buyers relied on suppliers who delivered consistently.

He warned that poor-quality products and broken promises could undermine Ghana’s international reputation, while businesses that maintained standards and honoured contracts helped strengthen confidence in the country.

In an AI-driven marketplace where content could be generated at unprecedented speed, Prof Adei said authenticity, quality assurance and professional integrity must become defining features of Ghanaian businesses.

“We must make authenticity, quality assurance, and professional integrity the defining features of Ghanaian enterprise,” he said.

“That is how we move from promoting brand Ghana to earning confidence in brand Ghana because promotion is not enough if it is not backed by substance.”

He also called for stronger collaboration among industry, professional institutions, educational establishments and government to ensure innovation translates into practical solutions and business growth.

Prof Adei urged the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) to continue encouraging businesses to regard marketing as a strategic investment rather than a promotional expense.

He said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), headquartered in Accra, presented opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to access new markets, but warned that market access alone was insufficient to guarantee competitiveness.

Businesses, he said, must invest deliberately in product development, packaging, certification and distribution while competing on quality, effective branding, reliable supply and a clear understanding of customer needs.

He called on the government to create an enabling business environment, businesses to deliver competitive products and services, and marketers to translate that value into trusted brands.

Prof Adei also urged policymakers to recognise marketing as a strategic national asset and strengthen the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to compete in an AI-enabled economy.