This is what I wish I knew moving to Ghana, tips and advice
Over the last few years, I have had a number of people reach out to me to share their plans for moving to Ghana. They are often curious about my process and often ask a few similar questions: when to move, how to find a job, and how to build social and professional networks. Here is a post on my decision journey to move to Ghana at 25 years old and here is another post on finding jobs and finding and building professional networks. Below, I give broad tips and general advice I wish I knew before I embarked on the journey.
While some of these points may seem minuscule on paper, they are the difference between having a smooth vs. rocky transition once on the group.
Be intentional about what you need from the move, financially: This will largely dictate how you spend your time, especially at the onset - will you jump immediately into work, spend time exploring the country, doing volunteer work, etc. I was very clear with myself when I first moved that I wanted to learn and explore the business climate in Ghana. I was not concerned about making money. As such, I spent my first 3 years open to exploring new industries and skills, changing jobs often, consulting on numerous projects, doing volunteer work. As such, I largely lived on my savings. In year 4, my financial intentions shifted and as such, so did my focus and work.
Be prepared to spend more than you expect: Many people from the UK/US believe that the exchange rate favors them so they will be okay with the some smaller degree if funds. Accra, Ghana is as expensive as living in New York City and more so than outside of Africa, there are many expenses and fees that are commonplace in the Ghanaian system that you won’t find elsewhere. Having to pay a cedis for someone to help you figure out something here and there quickly adds up.
Having a car helps: with bummer-to-bummer traffic, bad roads, and limited public transportation options, having a car makes navigating Accra easier and more effective, if one knows how to drive and can manage the aggressive driving culture here. Else, you either spend a lot of money on Ubers/taxis or a lot of time/sweat on ‘trotros’. I too think about the issues of car congestion in Accra, climate change, and my carbon footprint but there seems to be no way around being efficient and cost effective without a car in this country.
If you are looking for a job: it is probably best to begin the search and application process while abroad. I have a post that delves deeper into job hunting here.
Finding a place to stay: for the most part, renters have to pay their 2-year return upfront when they sign a lease. While renting in Ghana can be less expensive than in the West, the long term lease commitment can be daunting and financially draining. Having a family home to stay at can make adjusting much smoother. I have only lived in family homes since moving and it has saved me a lot of money.
Get involved in activities: at some level, the things you enjoy abroad are also available to you here and are relatively cheaper than what you paid for abroad. For example, if you enjoy yoga, fitness, traveling, swimming, dancing, singing, church, etc, you can do that here. There are a numerous providers for these services as well. Do a search on IG or Facebook or join any of the numerous local WhatsApp platforms to get information on where to look for things and what’s happening in the ecosystem.
Find your people/tribe: network/ relationships, in general, are the power source on which Accra moves. On the technical side, things (such as getting a government ID, etc) will be expensive and time-consuming if you don’t know someone. Everyone knows someone. On the emotional and psychological side, finding your tribe helps in helping you acclimate. The close and early friends I made when I first moved to Ghana were people at my gym. You can find your people everywhere as long as you are friendly and open.
Get help with paperwork, early: you will need some sort of government ID to open bank accounts, register your business, etc. Are you a Ghanaian citizen by birth but don’t have a passport or national id? Make arrangements to sort that out sooner than later as that will afford you access and local price points that you will not have using your foreign passport/identity.
Think about essential life services: how will you work around things such as health care/health insurance? How will you navigate around this if your job does not provide health insurance? Do you have a dentist, doctor, plumber, cleaner, dispatcher, painter, or police officer’s number available? Do you have emergency contacts or nanny’s if you have children? Waiting till you need a specific profession before you acquire their number is not safe, especially in Ghana where there are few professionals for the population size.
Come mentally prepared: Ghana can be difficult to acclimate to, work with, and grow within. The best thing I did in my move was to stay teachable, open, and humble to many different people and circumstances. This has endeared others to me and me to them, while providing me with opportunities I never could have dreamed about.