By Kingsley Webora TANKEH
A novel initiative, the Property & Polo Classic, is set to gather investors with extensive interests in Ghana’s lifestyle sectors and property developers to deal, network and have fun over the Independence Weekend.
The event, which aims to connect domestic and international property developers with over 500 business leaders and potential investors, is seeking to bridge the gap between domestic property developers and high-net-worth investors – both locally and from the diaspora.
The lifestyle and real estate networking event will take place at the Accra Polo Club on March 7. According to organisers, the event comprises live polo matches between players from East and West Africa and dedicated ‘deal rooms’ for one-on-one negotiations to close deals – confirming participation by developers across Ghana, the UK and Dubai.
Speaking at the press launch, a British-Ghanaian investment banker, hospitality entrepreneur and one of the organisers, Benjamin Mensah, encouraged investors and developers to seize what he termed “a massive opportunity for real estate in Ghana and abroad”.
“I had an opportunity of spending quite a bit of my time living in Dubai and I see a lot of Dubai in Ghana. To be honest, 20 years ago Dubai looked like Ghana.”
He urged investors to rally behind the real estate industry to ensure that the sector grows to improve Ghana’s landscape and skyline.
“We see a lot of developments coming up. It’s our duty to ensure that the real estate developers are profitable so they can do more and more and more…so the landscape of Ghana changes,” he said.
Mr. Mensah noted that dynamics in the real estate sector are changing. “There’s a little bit of a history around what we’re trying to do here. Historically, we’ve always sent developers from Ghana to the rest of the world. And this time around, the idea was to come to Ghana and do it with the developers here,” he explained.
He confirmed that one Dubai-based developer is bringing about 11 additional developers and a UK-based firm will also come along with six or seven representatives.
A lawyer and legal technology entrepreneur, Lucie Blay – who is also a co-organiser, emphasised that sustainability principles are embedded throughout the event design, working closely with Golden Coast Developers to plant a tree for every attendee.
Ms. Blay noted shifting property values in traditional markets, calling on investors to troop-in and seize investment opportunities. “The UK is going down in terms of value or cost of buying properties, which creates new opportunities for the more affluent people in Ghana,” she said.
A seasoned local investor, Kwabena Yankee, emphasised the exclusive deal rooms’ importance. “These sponsors are going to be selling their properties on the go. If you want to deal, you can deal right there,” he said.
Industry Collaboration
The Legal Director of title sponsor Nilex Group, Alexander Osei-Owusu, used the platform to announce his company’s 17-storey Nilex Suites development in Osu while calling for deeper cooperation in Ghana’s property industry.
“We are talking about collaboration, not competition. For the units that you have which we do not, I will refer our clients to you for a commission,” Mr. Osei-Owusu advised.
The event has been sponsored by Nilex Group with Zenith Bank as official banking partner. General admission tickets are priced at GH¢700 per person, including welcome cocktails and roaming gourmet canapés. The dress code is specified as ‘smart elegant’, with organisers positioning the event under the tagline ‘Where Society Meets Opportunity’.
The post Property & Polo Classic to connect property developers, investors appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.
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