Africa-Press – Ghana. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has intensified efforts to promote Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), as a strategic vehicle to deepen Ghana’s capital market.
The Commission said it would also attract investment from pension funds and the diaspora into the property sector.
Mr Mensah Thompson, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Finance at the SEC, said REITs could mobilise large pools of capital for real estate development, that were previously difficult to access.
He made the remarks at the launch of Rangoon Real Estate Investment Trust PLC, which managed two commercial properties at Cantonments City in Accra.
Mr Thompson explained that REITs enabled long-term savings to be channeled into productive sectors such as commercial property, housing, and urban infrastructure.
He noted that the structure provided an accessible route for individuals to invest in property without the burden of direct ownership and management.
He described a REIT as a company that owned, operated or financed income-generating properties and allowed investors to earn returns through dividends.
The model pooled funds from multiple investors into professionally managed property portfolios, reducing entry barriers for smaller investors, he said.
Mr Thompson observed that direct property ownership often required significant capital and expertise, limiting participation, especially among individuals abroad.
He said REITs offered a practical alternative for the diaspora, who traditionally preferred property investments but faced constraints in managing assets remotely.
Ghana recorded about 7.8 billion dollars in remittances in 2025, much of which was invested in informal residential projects.
He said part of these inflows could be redirected into structured commercial real estate through REITs.
“Ghana’s pension industry also presented a strong opportunity for REIT investments because of its growing asset base,” he added.
Total pension assets were estimated at about GH¢100 billion, with at least five per cent required to be invested in alternative assets under guidelines by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority.
He said this could create a potential investment pool of about GH¢5 billion for REITs and similar instruments.
Mr Thompson assured investors that SEC had put in place strong regulatory measures, including disclosure requirements, independent audits and continuous oversight, to protect investors and strengthen confidence in the market
Ms Cynthia Darko Acquaye, the Executive Director of Goldkey Properties and Group Chief Operating Officer of CH Group, said the REIT had been structured to broaden access to premium commercial real estate.
She noted that the Huawei Building and PwC Tower, which form part of the trust, were developed to meet the standards of multinational tenants and provide stable rental income.
“The trust provides investors with an opportunity to participate in the ownership of these assets,” she said.
Mr Kwaku Bediako, the Founder of Goldkey Properties and Executive Chairman of CH Group, said the initiative demonstrated that locally developed real estate assets could be integrated into institutional investment frameworks.
“REITs are not simply investment products; they are economic infrastructure that can support growth and development,” he said.
