By: Bernard Bempong, CA
“In Ghana, networking is not a business skill. It is survival infrastructure.”
If you spend enough time doing business in Ghana, you eventually discover a powerful truth:
Nothing moves entirely alone.
There is:
- a guy for customs,
- a guy for permits,
- a guy who can “help push things,”
- a guy who fixes internet faster than the provider,
- and most importantly…
a guy who knows a guy.
To outsiders, this may look chaotic.
To many locals, it is simply how business works.
Relationships Move Faster Than Systems
In many developed economies, businesses depend heavily on systems:
- automated processes,
- online portals,
- structured workflows,
- ticketing systems,
- and standardized approvals.
In Ghana, systems exist.
But relationships often move faster.
Sometimes the difference between:
- waiting three weeks,
- or solving a problem in three hours
comes down to who you know.
Need a delivery cleared quickly?
“There’s a guy.”
Need internet restored after three days offline?
“There’s a guy.”
Need help understanding a regulatory process?
“There’s definitely a guy.”
This relationship-based economy did not appear by accident.
It developed because businesses needed ways to keep moving even when systems became slow, inconsistent, or difficult to navigate.
And honestly?
Sometimes it works remarkably well.
Ghana’s Informal Economy Is Extremely Powerful
One thing international companies often underestimate is the strength of Ghana’s informal business networks.
These networks:
- solve problems quickly,
- create economic opportunities,
- support small businesses,
- and help people adapt under pressure.
In many ways, relationships act like operational lubricant for the economy.
Without them, many transactions would move much slower.
That flexibility is one reason Ghanaian entrepreneurs are often exceptionally resilient and resourceful.
A Ghanaian business owner can:
- reroute a shipment,
- find alternative suppliers,
- locate emergency technicians,
- and negotiate solutions
all before some multinational companies finish scheduling internal meetings.
That adaptability deserves respect.
But Relationships Also Create Risk
Now comes the uncomfortable part.
Relationship-driven business environments can also create:
- governance gaps,
- procurement risks,
- weak documentation,
- inconsistent controls,
- and overdependence on individuals.
Because once operations rely too heavily on specific people instead of systems, businesses become vulnerable.
What happens when:
- “the guy” leaves?
- changes jobs?
- stops answering calls?
- retires?
- or suddenly becomes unavailable?
Entire workflows can collapse.
Some businesses are one phone number away from operational paralysis.
That is not strategy.
That is dependency disguised as networking.
The Procurement Problem Nobody Wants to Discuss
Relationship economies can quietly affect procurement quality too.
Sometimes vendors are selected because:
- “he’s my guy,”
- “she always helps us,”
- or “we know somebody there.”
Not necessarily because:
- pricing is competitive,
- controls are strong,
- service quality is best,
- or risk assessments were performed properly.
This creates exposure:
- inflated pricing,
- weak vendor performance,
- poor documentation,
- conflict-of-interest concerns,
- and fraud risks.
In some organizations, procurement decisions are made emotionally first and commercially second.
That becomes expensive over time.
Institutional Inefficiency Creates Informal Solutions
It is important to understand something clearly:
People do not create workaround systems because they enjoy complexity.
They create them because they need results.
When:
- systems move slowly,
- approvals take too long,
- websites fail,
- customer service disappears,
- or processes become frustrating,
people naturally shift toward relationships.
Human beings optimize for speed and survival.
Businesses do the same.
So the rise of “the guy economy” is not really about culture alone.
It is also about efficiency gaps.
Foreign Companies Usually Learn This the Hard Way
Many international businesses arrive expecting purely formal operating environments.
Then they discover:
- business meetings happen through referrals,
- opportunities emerge through networks,
- and trust often matters before paperwork.
Some adapt successfully.
Others spend months fighting the environment instead of understanding it.
The smartest foreign companies eventually realize:
relationships are not the enemy of business in Ghana.
But relationships without systems eventually become operational risk.
The goal is balance.
The Best Businesses Build Both
The strongest companies in Ghana usually combine:
- strong relationships,
- trusted networks,
- structured controls,
- proper documentation,
- governance systems,
- and operational discipline.
That combination is powerful.
Because relationships may open doors…
but systems are what allow businesses to scale sustainably.
You cannot build a billion-cedi company entirely on:
“Call my guy.”
Eventually:
- processes matter,
- controls matter,
- audit trails matter,
- and institutional capacity matters.
Final Thought
Ghana’s relationship economy is not weakness.
In many ways, it reflects:
- adaptability,
- resilience,
- entrepreneurial creativity,
- and social trust networks built over decades.
But mature businesses understand an important truth:
Relationships can start operations.
Systems are what sustain them.
Because eventually every company reaches a point where:
- one person cannot hold everything together,
- one contact cannot solve every problem,
- and one “guy” cannot run an entire operation forever.
Even if he knows another guy.
Author: Bernard Bempong is a Chartered Accountant and business advisory leader with over 14 years of experience in audit, taxation, financial management, operational strategy, and business advisory services. As Managing Director of JS Morlu Ghana, he works with businesses across multiple industries to improve operational efficiency, governance, and long-term business performance.