The vitality of the democracy in Ghana is associated with the positive macroeconomic performance, highlighted by major donors and International Financial Institutions (IFI), as a climate generally favorable to the private sector and investment. The real GDP growth is 5.9%, while the inflation rate on annual basis in 2009 was 16%. The exchange rate of the local currency (Cedis) to the dollar and the euro is generally fairly stable despite the recent volatility in the exchange rates.
  
Despite the abundant of mineral wealth in the country (gold, bauxite, tin, manganese and diamond), Ghana remains a predominantly agricultural nation with its economy primarily driven by the export of agricultural products, wood and gold. Cocoa, the main agriculture export product, represents 13% of global production. In fact, Ghana is the second world producer after Ivory Coast. There are other staples such as Corn, Cassava and Palm Oil, but these are however, not produced on a large scale. The agricultural sector represents 36.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The industrial sector, which forms 24.6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), comprises principally of mining, manufacturing and construction. The service sector, and in particular the banking sector, is also growing as result of the emergence of new banks.
With the recent oil discoveries off the coast of Ghana, there is going to be a paradigm shift in the sector contribution toward the nation’s GDP. The energy sector may soon replace gold as the leading export product. The Jubilee oilfield discovered in June 2007, is located at a depth of 1000-1500 meters and has reserves of oil up to 1.8 billion barrels. Production will start probably by the end of 2010 – with estimated initial output of 120,000 barrels per day. Moreover, not far from Jubilee, the oilfield of Tweneboa could have the same potential (up to 1.4 billion barrels).
 
While the levels of Ghana’s reserves are still far lower than that of other countries in the region, its deposits have the benefit of being exploited in an environment of political and socio-economic stability compared with Nigeria, Libya and Angola.
The level of commercial activity between Ghana and Italy that peaked in 2000 has declined in recent years. The balance of trade between the two countries has always favored Italy. Commercial activity in 2008 reached a total amount of EUR 266,639,260; of this total,  Euros 204,158,235 represents Italian exports while Euros 62,481,025 was the total amount of  Ghanaian exports. In comparative terms, Italy is the sixth country of destination of Ghanaian products and rank seventh among the countries that supply goods to Ghana.
 
The Italian businesses are mostly sole proprietors and joint ventures and range from small and medium sizes operating mostly in construction, timber and agribusiness to large corporate bodies involved in air and maritime transport.
 
The areas potentially attractive for the Italian businesses are food (especially vegetables, tropical fruits and production of cocoa products), fish processing and the production of cosmetics (the country is an important producer of shea butter). Of interest are also wood, granite, aluminum (with possibility of exploiting the existing bauxite deposits) and gold (direct purchase and processing). Further opportunities also exist in the area of transport (rail, air) and energy. For instance, following the discovery of new oilfields, ENI entered the Ghanaian market, and its chief executive (CEO Paolo Scaroni) met the Ghanaian president in Accra, to highlight the capabilities of the Italian company in terms of technology and operations.
        
Foreign investment in the country are still governed by the law “Investment Act” of 1994, which established the“Ghana Investment Promotion Centre-GIPC”, with expertise in the field of investment promotion.

In July 5, 2006 an agreement was signed and ratified between Italy and Ghana concerning double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion. Currently, a bilateral Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of the Investments is being negotiated.