Ghana’s president, John Mahama, has said he hopes Nigeria prospers, stressing that the country’s success is important for regional stability and could reduce migration pressure on Ghana.
Mahama made the remarks while speaking at the African Heritage Awards in Accra, where he highlighted the close ties between both countries.
“If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well,” he said.
“When you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well so that one million of them do not come drifting towards a small country like Ghana.”
He added that Nigeria’s challenges often affect Ghana directly due to strong historical and cultural connections between the two nations.
“A lot of the people in Ghana migrated from Nigeria.
“They find their roots in the Yoruba kingdoms, and so Nigeria is of keen security interest to us,” Mahama said.
The Ghanaian leader also described both countries as closely linked beyond politics and economics.
“Ghana and Nigeria are twins of the same mother, except when we fight over Jollof and football,” he said.
Mahama used the platform to call for broader reforms across Africa, urging leaders to rethink how natural resources are managed.
“We need to make a paradigm shift in how we have considered investments and our natural resources,” he said.
He warned that changing global priorities and declining international support mean African countries must become more self-reliant.
“We must take advantage of what God has gifted us to create prosperity for our people,” Mahama added.
His comments come amid ongoing economic challenges across parts of Africa, with migration and regional cooperation remaining key concerns for leaders on the continent.
