Ryan Keilloh, David Gowu, Kojo Hayford and other key stakeholders in a group photograph
The Business Outsourcing Services Association Ghana (BOSAG) has intensified calls for stronger government support to accelerate the growth of the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Global Business Services (GBS) industry, with industry leaders projecting the sector as a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings for the country.
Stakeholders said the sector has the potential to create at least 100,000 jobs for young Ghanaians if the right policy, infrastructure and investment support systems are put in place.
The call was made at the maiden High-Level Government–Industry Roundtable organised by BOSAG in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and hosted by global outsourcing firm Concentrix.
The event, held under the theme “Positioning Ghana as a Competitive Global BPO/GBS Destination: From Strategy to Execution,” brought together government officials, industry players and development partners to discuss strategies for positioning Ghana as a preferred outsourcing hub in Africa.
The Board Chair of BOSAG and Founder of eSAL, Kojo Hayford, stressed the need for deliberate government intervention to unlock the sector’s full potential.
According to him, investor confidence in the outsourcing industry depends heavily on stable policies, improved infrastructure and a skilled workforce capable of meeting global standards.
He said government coordination and leadership were essential to scaling up sustainable job creation and attracting more international firms to Ghana.
The Country Manager of Concentrix Ghana and Senior Operations Director, Ryan Keilloh, revealed that the company, which operates in more than 70 countries, has already employed over 1,200 young Ghanaians.
He added that more than 130 employees had been promoted into leadership positions this year alone, demonstrating the industry’s capacity to provide long-term career growth for young professionals.
Mr. Keilloh noted that Concentrix intends to expand its operations in Ghana as demand for outsourcing services continues to grow globally.
Officials from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, including Nana Aba Edzie and Senior Advisor for Digital and Technology Transformation, Mr. Daniel Busscher, stated that discussions at the roundtable highlighted the importance of strong government backing in building a globally competitive outsourcing ecosystem.
They identified five major priority areas requiring urgent attention, namely investor confidence and political advocacy, skills development, demand generation, infrastructure and real estate repurposing, as well as market access and regulatory reforms.
The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting the sector.
He described BOSAG as a critical partner in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda and disclosed that the Ministry would collaborate with agencies such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen investor attraction efforts.
The Chief Executive Officer of BOSAG, David Gowu, noted that although the global outsourcing industry is valued at about US$1.5 trillion, Africa currently accounts for only 2.8 percent of the market.
He argued that Ghana could significantly increase its share by leveraging its youthful population, English-speaking workforce and growing digital infrastructure.
“We are producing more graduates than the economy can absorb. We want companies to come to Ghana, set up here, employ our people here, and allow them to build careers while contributing meaningfully to the economy,” he said.
A Business Desk Report