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  • Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Africa: A Systematic Data-driven Series-Part-2. (By Daniel Kontie)

    Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Africa: A Systematic Data-driven Series-Part-2. (By Daniel Kontie)

    Last week we published part one (1) of this series and we are indeed thrilled with the positive feedback that came from our readers across the globe. It will interest you to know that over one hundred (100) people read the article within the first week of its publication according to our reading tracker.

    This is good news and an encouragement for us to work harder in disseminating the information on the prospects of real estate investment in Africa to all prospective investors across the world; brought to you by the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network, a Ghana based Pan African Sustainable Built Environment Consultancy Firm (www.acecnltd.com).

    In this second edition, we shall be examining the last three (3) indices which again like the first edition, is a comparative data-driven analysis that points to the fact that Ghana remains the most lucrative real estate investment destination in Africa.

    But before we go into the intricacies of the data, we would like to have a recap of the first edition for the benefit of readers who may not have the opportunity to read the first edition. In the previous edition, we examined five (5) fundamental indices, and the data available for all five points to the fact that Ghana stood tall among its peers as the most lucrative real estate investment destination in Africa.

    We looked at the current housing deficit which stood at 1.8 million and is projected to hit 4.2 million by 2030 if there are no conscious actions to bridge the gap as against the projected population growth of 39 million by the same year, that is one side and the other is the low supply side where it was observed that, the combined effect of the works of the state, individuals as well as the private institutional developers, was not significant enough to bridge the gap.

    We also examined the Ghanaian political environment, known to be one of the most democratic and peaceful across the globe with the Global Peace Index (2022) ranking as the 2nd most peaceful country in sub-Saharan Africa among 46 countries, top six (6) most peaceful countries in Africa and 40th most peaceful country in the world.

    This presents a positive signal while guaranteeing the security of investments at all levels in Ghana including real estate. Urbanization was another index we examined, and it was found that among the thirty-three (33) African states purposively selected for our analysis, Ghana tops the urbanization rate with a staggering rate of 58.62%.

    This we presume could be a significant contributory factor to the persistently high demand for housing and general infrastructure around the urban centers across the country thereby, increasing the real estate investment prospects.

    The growing middle class which was found to be rising speedily hitting a height of about 46% as was reported by the African Development Bank in 2013, has also impacted the real estate investment prospects of Ghana significantly, despite the gains that have been eroded by the Covid-19 pandemic in recent past and finally, we also examined the rapid population growth which is said to have stood at 35 million currently and is projected to reach 39 million by 2030. In a nutshell, all the aforementioned indices explored are real estate demand-driven factors, and interestingly, all point to the fact that Ghana remains the most preferred destination for real estate investment in Africa.

    Today, we shall be looking at the last three (3) indices and this will draw the curtains on the subject under discussion. Now, stay tuned, get a glass of fruit juice, and grab your reading lenses as we run you down yet another data-driven analysis of the real estate investment prospects in Africa using the final three (3) indices, crime rate, foreign direct investment and government policy.

    1.Crime Ratings

    To begin with, economic theory suggests that, crime rate has an inverse relationship with investment, particularly foreign direct investment, and what this means essentially is that, a higher crime rate threatens both human and property security.

    This security threat leads to low foreign direct investment, holding other variables constant. On the other hand, low crime rates boost investor confidence, and the higher the level of investment, the bigger the expansionary growth of the economy.

    The ripple effect most often under such circumstances, is higher demand for housing as it is the case in Ghana currently. During our analysis of global crime ranking, Ghana ranked 84 with a crime index of 43.9 among 146 countries according to Numbeo (2024), and 17 in Africa among 52 states (Africa Organized Crime Index, 2024).

    The crime index of 43.9 is classified as moderate according to the Numbeo scale of measurement which grades crime levels between 41 to 60 as moderate. This gives confidence to the general investor community that, Ghana is comparatively one of the most conducive destinations to invest, of which real estate investment is not an exception.

    2.FDI Record

    Also, sight is not lost on the fact that foreign direct investment (FDI) is another driver of investment globally. Just like all other sectors of the economy, foreign direct investment has a direct relationship with demand for real estate.

    Interestingly, our exploration found that Ghana is among the top ten (10) countries in Africa with high levels of foreign direct investment with a total FDI value of US$1.5 billion according to Business Insider Africa (2023). Below is a diagram that depicts the top ten (10) African countries with the highest foreign direct investment.

    Naturally, one would have expected that Zambia, Egypt, South Africa etc would have been projected as the most promising real estate investment destinations in this analysis, taking into consideration their volumes of FDI compared to others such as Ghana.

    However, the broader scope of analysis taking into cognizance the eight indices examined so far, Ghana still appears to have a competitive advantage even though Zambia, Egypt South Africa have higher FDIs. This has had a direct impact on the Ghanaian economy and we presume it is one of the contributory factors that kept the demand for housing skyrocketing persistently till now.

    3.Government Policy/Incentives

    Finally, government policy and incentives are crucial to the real estate sector, unlike in the past when there were little or no incentives for the sector, today there are many more than we ever need to bridge the housing deficit of the continent.

    Our exploration found that most African states use a combination of taxation, legal and regulatory regimes as incentives to boost private investment in the housing sector, for instance in Nigeria real estate investment companies approved by the Securities Exchange Commission are tax-exempted from rental and dividend income depending on some conditions (PwC 2024). Zero corporate income tax is declared for companies including real estate developers planning to relocate to Rwanda (Rwanda Development Board, 2024), whilst Kenya on the other hand offers a corporate tax exemption of 25% per annum for developers (Business Daily, 2024).

    Tax Exemption Act of Ghana

    Similarly, the tax exemptions Act, 2022 (Act, 1088) of the Republic of Ghana has several tax benefits and exemptions for developers, particularly, those within the affordable housing brackets. The purpose is to attract both local and foreign direct investments into the real estate and housing sector aimed at bridging the housing gap. Taxation shall be treated as a whole topic compared to other African states in subsequent series. Time will fail us to give the tax incentive accounts for all African countries, however, one observation that made Ghana different beyond the tax incentives is that, Ghana has consciously made available funds for developers interested in investing in the housing sector.

    Funds for Developers-AfDB Loan Facility

    Key among these is the US$75 million commercial loan facility secured from the African Development Bank for the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) to improve the financing and development of green and affordable housing units (African Development Bank, Oct. 27, 2022).

    There are currently opportunities for private investors to leverage these public resources for housing delivery through the ongoing public-private partnership approach instituted by the government of Ghana.

    DBG-Long Term Facility

    Besides, the Development Bank of Ghana (DBG), established in June 2022, provides long-term financing at competitive rates for private sector developments, including the housing sector. Moreover, the Central Bank has committed an initial US$200 million to capitalize DBG for this purpose.

    Gov’t/Develop’t Partners/DBG Support for Investors

    The government has also leveraged another US$550 million from Development Partners to support the DBG to attract private sector investors and other international financiers. The housing sector stands to benefit from these measures as it takes advantage of guaranteed loans that will be provided by DBG.

    Public Policy/Invectives-Funds

    Last but not least on the public policy and incentives, is the Ghana National Home Ownership Fund, the Home Ownership Fund in partnership with the banking sector was also created in 2022.

    This includes the Rent-to-Own Scheme of the Affordable Real Estate Investment Trust, as well as the affordable housing supported by Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB Capital). The funds mobilised will function as a mortgage refinancing mechanism for Private Financial Institutions (PFIs) to draw from in the form of mortgages to consumers or mortgage-backed securities for investors.

    This in effect will improve the mortgage market and make it more fluid, hence reducing interest rates on mortgage facilities for prospective homeowners while improving housing delivery in Ghana. In conclusion, we call on all investors across the globe who are interested in investing in the African real estate sector to do so in Ghana. Subscribe to the Eco-environews magazine for subsequent series.

    Author: Daniel Kontie

    Email: d.kontie@acecnltd.com,

    Contact: +233209032280)

    Real Estate and Sustainable Construction Consultant, Ghana

    CEO, Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd (ACECN LTD)

    National President, World Sustainable Built Environment and Generative Artificial Intelligence Forum (WSBE-GenAIF)

    National president, Ghana Institution of Sustainable and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GhISBE-GenAIF)

    Cover Photo

    Credit Devtraco Ltd(Overview of Real Estate in Ghana)

     

  • Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Africa:A Systematic Series on the Ghanaian Sector-PART-1(By Daniel Kontie)

    Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Africa:A Systematic Series on the Ghanaian Sector-PART-1(By Daniel Kontie)

     

    Real estate investment in Ghana has become an increasingly attractive option for investors looking to diversify their portfolios and tap into the country’s promising real estate industry, the country with a stable political environment, a young and rapidly urbanizing population, and rising incomes, Ghana’s real estate sector presents exciting opportunities in all categories of real estate, the residential, commercial, and industrial properties. This is a series brought to you by the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd (www.acecnltd.com)  that seeks to provide asystematic exposition on the real estate investment opportunities in Africa. Today’s article is part one (1) and we shall be examining five (5) fundamental factors (indices) that positions Ghana strategically, as the most preferred destination for real estate investment in Africa. The Ghanaian political environment, rate of urbanization, middle class growth, Ghana as the African hub for tertiary education and most importantly, Ghana’s housing deficit.

    Purpose

    The purpose is to help potential investors make informed decisions in the event they so wish to venture into the African real estate market, for that matter the Ghanaian market. Now, take a seat, grab a glass of chilled drinks and come along with us as we run you down a data driven analysis on the prospects of real estate investment in Ghana.

    1.Ghana’s Political Environment

    First and foremost is the Ghanaian political environment, since the adoption of the 1992 constitution, Ghana have enjoyed political stability and have become a global center of attraction and a case study for many African nations and beyond. It is therefore not by chance that the Global Peace Index (2022) ranked Ghana as the 2nd most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa among 46 others, top six (6) most peaceful countries in Africa and the 40th most peaceful country in the world out of 163. This guarantees security at all levels and gives confidence to the investor community that every dollar worth of investment within the shores of Ghana is secured regardless of which political party is in government. The supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law ensured the checks and balances among the arms of government. The Police Service, the Army, the National Security and all other state institutions mandated to keep democratic balance and political stability have always worked in synchrony, thereby placing Ghana ahead of its peers in Africa to emerge as the most preferred African state for both local and foreign direct investment, of which real estate investment is not an exception.

    2.Ghana’s Housing Deficit

    In addition to the stable political environment, the Ghana Housing Deficit presents a profound real estate investment opportunity. According to the Ghana Statistical Service (2022), Ghana’s housing deficit stood at a staggering rate of 1.8 million. This has made the provision of more affordable housing options for urban dwellers a big challenge for the Ghanaian government.

    State Intervention

    The state has over the years undertaken a few housing projects and policy interventions in attempt to bridge the gap, however, this was quite unsuccessful as the deficit continue to grow with time.  Efforts have been made by private individuals which contributes but little to closing the gap, leaving the few private institutional developers a huge housing supply gap to meet.

    Private Developer’s Input

    GREDA (Ghana Real Estate Developers Association) appears to be the only beacon of hope if the housing supply will ever meet the demand. But for potential investors to appreciate where the investment jackpot lies within the property supply landscape in Ghana, we would like to run you through a brief but empirical analysis.

    Property Development Mix

    There are currently about one hundred and forty (140) private real estate developers in good standing in Ghana according to GREDA real estate journal (2023). The 140 have various specialties within the sector, that is to say it is not all of them that are into residential property development.

    Analysis

    However, for the purpose of this analysis, we shall assume that all of them develop residential properties.

     What this implies essentially is that, each developer will have to develop approximately thirteen thousand (13,000) housing units, though not feasible, within the year to be able to bridge the 1.8million gap. This shows how huge the real estate investment opportunity is, in Ghana that cannot be compared to any other destination in Africa.

    3.Increasing Urbanization Rate

    Moreover, another index worth mentioning is Ghana’s increasing rate of urbanization, according to Urban Land Institute, London (2018), urbanization leads to high demand for housing in urban centers thereby putting pressure on residential properties and consequentially leading to high rates of rent in the urban centers across the world.

    It was against this backdrop that we decided to explore the rate of urbanization in Ghana and its impact on real estate investment opportunities. Ghana’s increasing rate of urbanization is another index that gives prospects to real estate investment particularly in Ghana’s urban centers across the country

    A recent observation made by our outfit, the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network (ACECN) on some selected African countries points to the fact that Ghana has the highest rate of urbanization, (ACECN, 2024).

    This again positions Ghana as the most preferred destination for real estate investment in Africa. The figure below is the graphical representation of the rates of urbanization with Ghana topping the list with 58.62% in 2022.

    4.Growing Middle Class

    Also, the ever-growing middle class is another crucial index worth considering, Africa is developing faster than it was in the 20th century, it is therefore not a surprise to see many economic indicators assuming positive resilience across the African continent.

    Ghana have had its share of this rapid development over the years. In 2013, the African Development Bank (AfDB) published that about 46% of Ghanaians are now classified as middle class compared to a continent-wide average of 34.3%.

    Eleven years down the line, this may have grown above 50% except the gains eroded by the two-year COVID-19 pandemic. It is also interesting to know that majority of these middle class live and work in the cities particularly the national capital, Accra.

    This has put a lot of pressure on residential facilities in Accra leading to the prohibitive rental prices recorded consistently over the period. This again demonstrates how huge and promising the prospects of real estate investment are, in Ghana using the capital city in particular as a destination

    Besides, Ghana’s sudden transformation into Africa’s Hub for Tertiary Education also contributes significantly to the sector investment opportunities. According to the National Council for Tertiary Education (2016) Ghana has positioned itself as one of the major providers of quality higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    For the past decade, Ghana has enacted policies, which have indicated to the global community, the strong intention to enhance the competitiveness of our tertiary education system. For this reason, the quota-based admission policy for foreign students was lifted in both private and public institutions.

    This opened the floodgate to students and faculty of countries within Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Zambia, Gambia, Rwanda and some East and southern African Countries.

    This trend has skyrocketed the housing demand in the cities making property investment in Ghana exceptionally profitable. The trend gave birth to AirBnB which has gained its popularity in recent times, a term given to short term rentals for private residential facilities often targeted at consultants, business men, students, diplomats’ expatriates et cetera. AirBnB within the city of Accra is one of the rewarding property investment portfolios currently.

    5.Rapid Population Growth

    Last but not least, Ghana’s rapid population growth is another index that drives housing demand significantly.

    The current population in 2024 stood at 35million approximately and is projected to reach 39million by 2030 as against a projected housing deficit of 4.2million by same year. Mention is not made yet of the black race around the world who are tracing their root back home and many settlings in and naturalizing in Ghana because of the political stability the country has enjoyed since independence.

    This exodus of the black race to Ghana as their home was motivated by a conscious state policy dubbed, “the year of return” in 2019. Ever since, many interventions such as “beyond the return” and some other state programs aimed at supporting these diasporas assimilate into the Ghanaian system seamlessly.

    That notwithstanding, several measures have also been put in place as an incentive to enable more returnees including citizens of fellow African countries migrating to Ghana to naturalize. Taking Nigeria for instance, about 77,000 Nigerians live and work in Ghana as reported by Statista (2021) and all these needs descent accommodation around the cities making property investment in Ghana more profitable than ever.

    In conclusion, all indices points to the fact that Ghana tops the list and remains the most profitable destination for real estate investment in Africa. Subscribe and follow the Global African Times Magazine for part two (2) and subsequent articles in the series.

    Author: Daniel Kontie (Email: d.kontie@acecnltd.com, Contact: +233209032280)

    • Real Estate and Construction Consultant, Ghana
    • CEO, Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network Ltd (ACECN LTD)
    • National President, World Sustainable Built Environment and Generative Artificial Intelligence Forum (WSBE-GenAIF)
    • National president, Ghana Institution of Sustainable and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GhISBE-GenAI)