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Ghana to host Beauty Cosmetics & Wellness West Africa Expo in April 2026
The 10th edition of the Beauty Cosmetics & Wellness West Africa – Ghana Expo 2026 has been launched and is set to take place from April 16 to 18, 2026, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The announcement was made during the 2025 Ghana Beauty Awards held in Accra, which celebrated excellence and innovation in the beauty, cosmetics, and wellness industries.
The event was attended by the Minister of Youth and Development, George Apparels Adda, and the Minister for Tourism, Abla Dzifa Gomsashie, along with key industry stakeholders and professionals.
The upcoming Expo will be organized by Ace Group and Astrovision, in collaboration with Makeup Ghana as the local organizing partner.
The three-day event will host 145 invited buyers from 10 countries, including importers, distributors, and retail chains.
Over 400 business-to-business meetings are planned between exhibitors and buyers, many of which are expected to result in trade deals and long-term partnerships.
Ace Group and Astrovision explained that the decision to host the Expo in Ghana follows the country’s fast-growing beauty and personal care market.
“Market data shows that Ghana’s beauty industry was valued at US$29.3 million in 2023 and is expected to reach US$46.2 million by 2027, growing at over 12 percent annually”
“The personal care market is projected to rise from US$70 million in 2023 to US$109 million by 2027, while the cosmetics market is estimated to generate US$226 million in 2024” the organisers said.
Both Ace Group and Astrovision noted that the increasing demand for natural and organic products was shaping the future of Ghana’s beauty sector, as more consumers seek sustainable and health-conscious options.
The Expo is expected to become one of the most influential gatherings for professionals in the beauty, cosmetics, haircare, and wellness industries, serving as a platform for innovation, business growth, and international collaboration.
Ace Group, Astrovision, and Makeup Ghana invited the media, partners, and beauty industry stakeholders to take part in the event, which is expected to strengthen Ghana’s position as a leading beauty and wellness hub in West Africa.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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