Businesses in Ghana must rethink how they compete as economic conditions stabilise and competition intensifies, President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), Michael Abbiw, has said.
According to him, companies can no longer rely on discounts and price cuts alone to win customers but must focus on delivering clear value that customers understand and are willing to pay for.
“Price alone cannot be the strategy that we must use moving forward,” he said.
“The customer is looking for value. It’s no longer about visibility; it’s about what the product or service means to the customer and what it changes in their lives.”
Mr Abbiw, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of MGA Consulting Ghana Limited, was speaking on Bottomline on Metro TV on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Reflecting on the performance of MGA Consulting in 2025, Mr Abbiw described the year as “mixed”, noting that the firm had to make a strategic shift away from heavy reliance on government and development-related work towards the private sector.
“The first part of the year was a bit more challenging,” he said. “But by October, November, December, we started doing a lot more business within the private sector, and we actually had more demand than we could handle.”
He attributed the gradual recovery across the wider business environment partly to political transition and improving confidence.
“The change of government had a lot to do with it. There was a lot more trust put in the current government, and we gave them time and space to bring out policies,” he said.
Mr Abbiw added that currency stability towards the end of the year helped businesses plan better.
“It’s not about whether the dollar is going up or down. What is important is stability and predictability so businesses can plan and know that over the short term, they can get the results they are looking for.”
With stabilisation comes tougher competition, he warned, making sales and marketing more critical than ever.
“The business environment is going to be more competitive, and businesses will rely more on sales, marketing and business development to attract customers and generate revenue,” he said.
He described the current period as “exciting” for marketers, urging them to be more innovative and intentional.
“This is the time marketers must rise up, think smarter, work smarter, and find solutions that generate revenue for organisations.”
A key shift, he said, is aligning marketing directly to sales outcomes.
“Visibility alone is not enough anymore. Every marketing effort must lead to revenue. We must ask: how does this marketing budget generate quality leads, and how does it support sales conversations?”
On whether Ghanaian businesses are ready to compete globally, Mr Abbiw was optimistic but realistic.
“I think so,” he said, pointing to a growing number of local firms seeking to formalise their operations.
“Almost every day, a company comes to us saying they want to build structures, strengthen operations, and put strategic plans in place to take them out there.”
However, he identified weak internal systems as a major barrier.
“You have major local brands, but when you go in, the problem is structures, processes and systems. We really do not put those in place,” he said.
He added that many businesses still make assumptions about customers instead of doing proper research.
“We don’t go out there to ask customers what they want. It’s more about what we think they need,” he said.
“We need to invest in customer research, insights, and feedback.”
Mr Abbiw stressed that technology must be central to business transformation.
At MGA Consulting, he said, the firm is moving to a paperless reporting system.
“By February 1, there will be zero paper for reports. Everything comes through the system, and it saves time and reduces leakages.”
He also called on organisations to adopt customer relationship management systems.
“You go to many organisations and ask about CRM systems, and they don’t have them,” he said.
“If well built, they allow customers to interact without physical contact, saving time and improving convenience.”
Beyond tools, he said leaders must focus on working smarter and being deliberate.
“We cannot wait for things to happen. This year, we must be intentional and find smarter solutions.”
Touching on the role of marketing in public policy, Mr Abbiw said government initiatives also need clear positioning.
Using the proposed 24-hour economy as an example, he said, “We need to sell it not just to Ghanaians, but to the international business community that may want to invest.”
He also revealed ongoing discussions around the Brand Ghana agenda.
“We seem to agree that Brand Ghana should not be political. It should be professional,” he said, adding that plans are underway for CIMG to play a central role in driving the agenda regardless of which political party is in power.
For Mr Abbiw, the path forward for businesses and the country lies in stability, strong structures, customer understanding and smarter execution.
“That is what will allow our businesses to grow, compete and eventually go global,” he said.
