Category: Daily Guide Network

Unilever Ghana PLC recorded a strong financial performance in 2025, posting a 62 percent increase in profit after tax to GHS94 million, up from GHS58 million in 2024, as improved macroeconomic conditions and strategic business initiatives boosted growth across key product categories.

The company announced the results at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra, where shareholders, directors and management reviewed its performance for the financial year ended December 31, 2025.

Chairman of the Board, Charles B. Nimako, said the company delivered impressive results despite a challenging global economic environment, supported by the nation’s improving economic outlook and the successful execution of its business strategy.

‘Our strategic initiatives enabled us to deliver value to our shareholders. We have focused on sustainable growth, leveraging our strong brand portfolio and investing in local talent and resources,’ he stated.

In addition to the profit growth, Unilever Ghana’s cash position more than doubled during the year, rising from GHS97 million in 2024 to GHS210 million in 2025, which reflects stronger liquidity and operational efficiency.

The board has consequently proposed a dividend payment of GHS1 per share, amounting to a total payout of GHS62.5 million to shareholders.

Managing Director, Christopher Wulff-Caeser, attributed the company’s performance partly to the nation’s improved macroeconomic environment in 2025.

He noted that inflation declined sharply from 23.8 percent at the end of 2024 to 5.4 percent by December 2025, while the cedi appreciated by 40 percent against the US dollar and other major currencies.

According to him, these developments restored consumer confidence and purchasing power, creating favourable conditions for business growth.

He said the company’s Growth Action Plan (GAP), which focuses on accelerating growth through its key brands in the Beauty and Well-being, Personal Care, Home Care and Nutrition categories, also contributed significantly to the results.

The Personal Care category recorded an underlying sales growth of 12.1 percent in 2025, driven mainly by strong performances in the Oral Care segment.

The company’s flagship oral care brand, Pepsodent, reached more than one million Ghanaians through school and community campaigns promoting good oral hygiene practices.

The Beauty and Well-being category emerged as one of the strongest performers during the year. Vaseline recorded an underlying sales growth of 53.4 percent, marking its third consecutive year of double-digit growth.

Management attributed the performance to increased household penetration and expanded distribution channels.

The Home Care business also returned to growth, posting a five per cent increase in underlying sales. The improvement was driven by the successful launch of Comfort Fabric Conditioner and continued growth in Omo Auto detergent for machine washing.

Meanwhile, the Nutrition category recorded modest growth of 2.2 percent, supported mainly by pricing adjustments aimed at improving profitability.

Looking ahead, management expressed confidence in sustaining growth in 2026 through innovation, portfolio expansion and increased investment in key brands.

The company also announced significant changes to its Board of Directors, including the appointment of six new directors, among them a new Board Chair, following the completion of tenure of outgoing board members.

Management reaffirmed its commitment to strong corporate governance, sustainability and long-term value creation for shareholders.

KFC Ghana has announced a new sponsorship partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), supporting the Black Stars during one of the most significant years in Ghanaian football history.

The partnership, which runs until May 2027, positions KFC Ghana alongside Ghana’s national teams as they compete on global and continental stages.

It covers the 2026 FIFA World Cup, qualifying matches for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and the 2026 Women’s AFCON in Morocco, where the four winning quarter-finalists will qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Making their fifth World Cup appearance, the Black Stars will compete in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama when the tournament begins on June 11, 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

‘This is a landmark year for Ghana football, and we are proud to stand alongside the Ghana Football Association and the Black Stars as they represent the nation on the world’s biggest sporting stage,’ Hloni Mohope, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Africa said.

‘The tournament starting in mid-June is an opportunity for Ghana to showcase its footballing excellence to a global audience. KFC Ghana is committed to supporting the team’s preparations and celebrating Ghana’s football journey with fans across the country,’ she added.

GFA Director of Marketing, Jamil Maraby said the partnership exemplifies the kind of commercial transformation the GFA is driving.

‘KFC is a globally recognised brand with deep roots in African communities, and its commitment to supporting Ghana football during this critical year aligns perfectly with our vision to elevate the Ghana Football Association to one of the world’s most identifiable sports brands. This is the calibre of partnership that opens doors for the Black Stars on the global stage,’ he said.

The partnership comes as Ghana’s men’s and women’s teams prepare for an intense international calendar that GFA President Kurt Okraku has described as one of the busiest in Ghana’s football history.

The KFC-GFA partnership will launch with a retail campaign in late June 2026, with additional communications and promotional activities planned throughout the 12-month partnership period.

‘Football brings people together, and we want to ensure Ghanaian fans can celebrate their team’s journey at every stage. We’ll be rolling out activations that allow supporters to show their Black Stars pride while enjoying their favourite KFC meals,’ Mohope further indicated.

President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, believes the Black Stars have every reason to dream of World Cup success, insisting that football’s unpredictable nature means no nation should be discounted.

Speaking on The Delay Show, Okraku said history has repeatedly shown that major tournaments often produce unexpected outcomes, with underdogs overcoming the odds while favourites sometimes fall short.

‘I have seen bad teams win big tournaments, I have also seen good teams lose big tournaments, and I have seen good teams win big tournaments,’ he said.

The GFA boss stressed that Ghana deserves to be considered among the teams capable of making an impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pointing to the quality of the squad and the preparations being undertaken ahead of the tournament.

‘So, you can never rule out any football nation, Ghana inclusive. We have a good team, and I want to win the World Cup. That is why we are doing everything possible,’ Okraku added.

The Black Stars will be making their fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup and are hoping to improve on recent campaigns after suffering group-stage exits in both 2014 and 2022.

Ghana faces a stern test in Group L, where they have been drawn against England, Croatia and Panama in one of the tournament’s toughest groups.

The Black Stars will open their campaign against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field before taking on England at Gillette Stadium on June 23. Their final group match will be against Croatia on June 27 as they seek a place in the knockout stage.

Ghanaian music star Stonebwoy’s (Livingstone Etse Satekla’s) 10-track album, The TORCHER II, has hit one million viewership on Spotify streaming app, according to Chart Ghana .

The 10-track EP, which initially launched as an exclusive purchase on the artist-first platform EVEN on March 16, 2026, became widely available on DSPs, including Spotify, Apple Music, and others, around May 11, 2026.

TORCHER II builds on the foundation of its 2025 predecessor THE TORCHER, expanding Stonebwoy’s signature blend of Afro-dancehall, reggae, and melodic introspection.

The project explores themes of perseverance, loyalty, spiritual grounding, and the realities of success, with the ‘Torcher’ persona symbolising one who carries light through hardship.

The tracklists include , Intro, Wilderness, Many Times, Blood Don’t Make Family, Yire (Fanfooler), Hotter Fire (feat. Tomi Thomas), Never Used To Be Like This, Winner (feat. Jahmiel and 10Tik), Mountain Tall (feat. Arathejay) and Another 365 (Happy Birthday).

All is set for the commencement of return flights for Ghanaian pilgrims who participated in this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG), the return flights will commence on June 12 and end on June 24, 2026.

The Tamale-bound flights, seven in number, will be the first to depart, beginning on June 12 and ending on June 18.

This will be followed by nine Accra-bound flights, which will commence on June 18 and conclude on June 24, 2026, all things being equal.

Each pilgrim will be provided with two bags, the combined weight of which should not exceed 46 kilogrammes.

The weigh-in of pilgrims’ baggage is expected to commence today.

Musician, Deborah Vanessa, popularly known as Sister Derby, has criticised Communications Minister, Samuel Nartey George, over his description of homosexuality as a mental illness.

In a post on X on June 5, the entertainer questioned the logic behind supporting legislation that would criminalise people if homosexuality is viewed as a mental health condition.

‘If homosexuality is caused by mental illness according to Salmonella Georgina, why is he pushing a bill to criminalise ‘mentally ill’ people? Is it their fault that they’re mentally ill?’ she wrote.

Sister Derby also accused the minister of spreading misinformation, describing him as the ‘Minister of LIES, MISINFORMATION and MANIPULATION.’

The musician further criticised support for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Ghana, arguing that some political leaders were influenced by foreign Christian evangelical groups rather than promoting what she described as authentic African values.

‘Such leaders like being slaves and/or puppets of white colonial masters because why is this clearly the second coming in the form of white Christian evangelicals collaborating with them and telling us how to live as Africans!’ she posted.

Her comments come amid ongoing public debate over the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-gay bill, was passed by Parliament on May 29, 2026.

Sister Derby joins several pro-LGBTQ+ advocates who have spoken out against the legislation, arguing that it infringes on the rights and freedoms of sexual minorities.

The bill continues to generate mixed reactions across the country, with supporters describing it as a measure to protect Ghanaian family values, while opponents view it as discriminatory and a threat to human rights.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Subin-Akwaboso Community Bank PLC, Francis Azure, has called for stronger measures to combat money laundering, describing the practice as a significant threat to the nation’s economy, financial system and long-term development.

Speaking at the bank’s third Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Akwaboso, Mr. Azure urged the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and other regulatory institutions to intensify the enforcement of anti-money laundering regulations to safeguard the integrity of the country’s financial sector.

He warned that money laundering fuels corruption, discourages legitimate investment, undermines economic growth and limits employment opportunities, while imposing long-term costs on future generations.

According to him, the fight against financial crimes requires a coordinated effort among regulators, financial institutions and other stakeholders.

Mr. Azure stressed the need for banks and other financial institutions to strengthen their Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes, closely monitor suspicious transactions and ensure full compliance with anti-money laundering regulations.

‘Protecting the financial system requires collective commitment from regulators, banks and all stakeholders,’ he stated.

He noted that a robust and transparent financial system is essential for attracting investment, promoting economic stability and building public confidence in the banking sector.

The AGM also provided an opportunity for management to review the bank’s performance and outline its future growth plans.

Promoters of the bank, Kwadwo Yeboah, popularly known as Afari Gyan, and Elder James Kwadwo Afram, expressed confidence in the institution’s prospects, stating that Subin-Akwaboso Community Bank is steadily positioning itself to become one of Ghana’s leading community banks.

They attributed the bank’s progress to sound management, customer trust and strategic expansion initiatives aimed at bringing banking services closer to underserved communities.

As part of its expansion drive, the promoters announced that the bank’s newly established branch at Diaso in the Central Region will soon begin operations.

They said the new branch is expected to enhance financial inclusion, support local businesses and increase access to banking services for residents and enterprises in the area.

Management also highlighted the bank’s strong financial performance during the year under review, pointing to growth in its customer base and improvements in key operational indicators.

The government has activated surveillance and isolation systems at key border posts to help detect and isolate any suspected case of Ebola for treatment.

This came to light when the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, toured the Elubo and Aflao borders to assess the country’s response strategy to the viral infection that broke out in Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-May.

Dr. Ayensu-Danquanh, who is a clinician and surgeon, further pledged swift government action to address identified gaps and strengthen response mechanisms, adding that President John Dramani Mahama had directed the ministry to ensure that the country was ready to respond to any suspected case.

‘As a government, it is our duty to ensure that our country and the citizens are safe and that is what we are doing by assessing our response mechanism to this deadly disease,’ she said.

Congo outbreak

The deputy minister’s tour formed part of the government’s broader efforts to reinforce disease surveillance and response capacity amid rising regional risks, following recorded Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other central African countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in May declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, underscoring the urgency of Ghana’s preparedness measures to protect citizens and prevent cross-border transmission.

Visits

At the Aflao and Elubo crossings, the Deputy Minister engaged border security agencies, port health officials and local authorities.

Dr. Ayensu-Danquah also led health and local officials to review screening procedures, isolation facilities and coordination mechanisms designed to detect and contain any suspected cases.

She was informed during briefings that screening, surveillance and isolation protocols were already in place, making Ghana ready to deal with potential cases.

However, health and local officials raised concerns over some critical gaps, including inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), limited staffing, and deteriorating infrastructure established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ayensu-Danquah said the government is moving swiftly to address these shortcomings, with plans to roll out modern, fully equipped border health facilities and boost investments in personnel, logistics and essential supplies to strengthen the country’s frontline healthcare system.

‘The government remains committed to ensuring robust surveillance, screening and response mechanisms are in place to protect the health and safety of Ghanaians,’ she said.

Govt Health Initiatives

The tour underscores a broader push by the government to prioritise health security, particularly at points of entry where cross-border trade and human movement heighten the risk of disease importation.

Beyond assessing infrastructure, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s tour also aimed to strengthen coordination among key agencies, including the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and regional health directorates, while identifying resource and training needs to improve emergency response capacity.

A Daily Guide Report

Let me tell you what keeps me up at night.

A few months ago, I was in yet another TV conversation about artificial intelligence and the creative economy. The usual suspect was there: the host of The Market Place show on JoyNews and business journalist, Daryl Kwawu.

He wanted to know what the future holds for the industry as we entered the New Year, 2026. I suggested that the biggest winners would be platforms that leverage AI to integrate culture and technology to align with sectors outside the norm, such as finance.

Then, about two days ago, came the news about Suno.

The AI music platform has raised more than $400 million and is now valued at approximately $5.4 billion. Let that sink in.

A company that allows users to generate songs from simple text prompts, no instruments, no vocal training, no years of learning chord progressions, is now worth more than many established music labels.

The truth is that the global creative economy is being rewired in real time, and Africa is not yet in the control room.

The first thing to understand is that investors are no longer treating AI as a supporting tool for human creatives. That ship has sailed. They are now treating AI as core creative infrastructure.

A $5.4 billion valuation is a bet on a future where millions of people create, consume, and personalise content through AI-powered platforms. It is a bet that creativity will become more accessible, more participatory, and more technology-driven. Whether we like it or not, capital is flowing toward companies that lower the barriers to content creation.

And Suno is not alone. This is just the beginning.

But Suno’s rise comes with a storm. The company is facing lawsuits from major record labels over claims that copyrighted music was used to train its models without permission. This is not a minor legal squabble. It is arguably the most important legal battle in the creative industries today.

The courts are being asked to decide whether AI companies can train on copyrighted works without explicit permission. If Suno wins, fair use arguments gain ground, and AI development accelerates. If the labels win, AI companies will have to negotiate licences and compensate rights holders before building these systems.

The outcome will affect music, publishing, film, photography, and journalism. In many ways, this case is helping to write the rules of the AI era.

And where is Africa in this legal conversation? Largely absent. That is a problem.

As Africans, we should see this as both a warning and an opportunity.

The warning is this. If we do not properly document, license, and protect our creative assets, African music, languages, and cultural expressions will become training data for foreign AI models. Our rhythms, our proverbs, our sonic innovations, all fed into algorithms without delivering a single cedi, naira, or rand back to the creators. We will have donated our cultural inheritance to build billion-dollar companies elsewhere.

The opportunity is equally real. AI can help African creators reach global audiences, produce content more efficiently, and unlock new revenue streams. A musician in Accra could use AI to compose, arrange, and distribute a song to the world in hours instead of months. A filmmaker in Lagos could generate soundtracks without a Hollywood budget.

But here is the catch. Realising that opportunity requires stronger copyright systems, better metadata, digital rights management, and, investment in African-owned creative technologies. Without those, we will remain consumers of these platforms, not builders or beneficiaries.

I have covered Africa’s creative economy for years. I have watched us celebrate our cultural exports while ignoring the infrastructure that could monetise them. I have listened to ministers praise our ‘soft power’ while refusing to fund the hard systems that protect intellectual property.

The broader lesson from Suno’s story is this that intellectual property is becoming one of the most valuable economic assets of the digital age. A company valued at $5.4 billion was built around music, creativity, and data. Africa has a richer cultural resource base than most continents, yet we consistently underestimate its economic value.

The future belongs not only to those who create culture but also to those who own the platforms, datasets, and technologies that distribute and monetise it.

So for me, this moment should push African governments, investors, and creative industries to think beyond content creation. We need to focus on ownership, infrastructure, and innovation. We need to stop treating our music and culture as an infinite resource that requires no maintenance or protection.

We need to build or invest in African AI platforms that understand our languages, our rhythms, and our rights.

Because if we do not, the soundtrack of the future will be composed by AI. But the profits will not be sung in our tongues. And that, dear reader, would be the greatest copyright theft of all.

Graduates of Academic City University has been urged to pursue hard work before visibility.

General Manager, City FM and Channel 1 TV, Benard Avle made the call at the University’s 5th Graduation ceremony in Accra during his address to the graduating class as the guest speaker.

He explained that his statement is not to glorify toil but rather emphasise on the wisdom of working in night seasons noting that in an era that highlights visibility over values and prioritises image over integrity, it is important for one to note that great institutions, great nations reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but by toil while others slept through the night.

He said, ‘I urge you to learn to work in the night seasons. This is the power of a root system, a root is deep, a root is unseen, a root keeps the tree grounded and a root sustains life’.

He added that the test for graduates in the real market space is harnessing resources to create positive change which requires a mixture commitment to excellence, a dedication to integrity and a relentless pursuit of innovation.

He stressed that the university has made a huge investment in its students for the past few years and it is the turn of the graduates to justify that investment by letting their light shine before the nation.

He said, ‘The ethos of this investment must shine through all you do’.

He further urged the graduates to put results ahead of reward.

President of the university, Prof. Fred McBagonluri, stated that the school has invested heavily in programmes such as entrepreneurship, engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, communication arts, business, and innovation ecosystems to challenge students to develop solutions that address world problems.

‘Through initiatives such as a technology and entrepreneurship center, students have been challenged to develop solutions that address real world problems and create measurable impact,’ he said.

He told students that in the age of artificial intelligence, the ability to think creatively may become humanity’s most valuable asset stating that innovation requires imagination.

‘Innovation requires human beings who are willing to ask questions that nobody else is asking’, he said.

He added that the future will belong to those who can combine technology with empathy, data with wisdom, knowledge with character, and ambition with purpose.

Valedictorian, Setornam Koku Dedey, who graduated with a GPA of 4.0 throughout studying Engineering, stated that success is not achieved alone. ‘Success is rarely something you achieve alone, it requires commitment, and it requires people who show up for you, even when you think of leaving,’ he added.

This year Academic City University recorded the highest number of graduates totalling 157 students with first degree and four Master’s Degree graduates.