Stakeholders signing the partnership agreement
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Japanese multinational Meiji Holdings Company Limited have taken steps towards establishing a long-term partnership focused on sports nutrition, player performance and football development in Ghana.
Meiji Holdings presented a support package to the GFA on Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra as part of activities marking its 100th anniversary.
GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku led the delegation to receive the package, which includes SAVAS sports nutrition supplements and protein shakes, alongside financial support for health and nutrition coaching.
The engagement was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Simeon-Okraku signing for the GFA and Meiji Holdings CEO Katsunari Matsuda representing the Japanese company.
The proposed partnership will cover sports nutrition, player performance, youth and women’s football, health and nutrition education, coaching, technical development and other areas of football development.
Meiji also expressed interest in introducing its SAVAS sports nutrition products to the Ghanaian market through football, subject to agreed commercial arrangements.
“Football is and will always be a good vehicle for SAVAS in terms of market penetration strategy,” Simeon-Okraku said.
“We will leverage on this relationship and explore ways of ensuring the partnership is mutually beneficial.”
GFA Vice-President Mark Addo welcomed plans for Meiji experts to train GFA officials on the proper use of its sports nutrition products.
The collaboration, facilitated partly by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Ghana, is expected to promote knowledge transfer and improve athlete health, preparation and performance.
Discussions towards a broader partnership are expected to continue into 2027.
BY Wletsu Ransford