Famous Ghanaian People

W. E. B. Du Bois was an American civil rights activist, sociologist, and Pan-Africanist. Du Bois played an instrumental role in fighting for full civil rights for people of color around the world. A co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Du Bois also played an important role as the leader of the Niagara Movement.

Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. He was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation and a co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. During his stint with the UN, he launched the UN Global Compact and worked to combat HIV/AIDS. 

Kwame Nkrumah was a Ghanaian revolutionary and politician. He played an important role in the independence of the Gold Coast in 1957, after which he served as the first prime minister of Ghana from 1957 to 1960 and then as the first president of Ghana from 1960 to 1966. He also played an influential role as an advocate of Pan-Africanism.

Known as The African King of Comedy, the Ghanaian-Liberian-American comedian Michael Blackson considers Eddie Murphy one of his greatest inspirations. An encounter with Ice Cube at The Comedy Store, turned Blackson’s future around. He is also known for his hit films Next Friday and Meet the Blacks.

Popular Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has made a substantial contribution to hip-hop and Afrobeats and is also considered a pioneer of the Azonto genre of music. Apart from his dance tracks, he is also known for his charitable work for underprivileged children. He owns a clothing and accessory line too.

Though born in Ghana, singer Reggie Tsiboe grew up in England since age 11. Starting his music career in Germany, he later joined the iconic disco group Boney M. He has also been an actor in Ghanaian films and has starred in various British TV programs such as Doctor Who.

Ghanaian-British rapper Kwasi Esono Danquah III is better known as Tinchy Stryder, "Tinchy" being an indication of his short frame and "Stryder" indicating a game he played as a child. Famous for his album Star in the Hood, he also owns an apparel range of the same name.

The son of a Ghanaian mother and a Lebanese father, Majid Michel soared to fame with his role of a Lebanese boy, Shaker, in the Ghanaian series Things We Do for Love. He later gained popularity with Nollywood films such as Silent Scandals and delivered an award-winning performance in Somewhere in Africa.

The Queen Mother of the Ashanti Empire, or modern-day Ghana, Yaa Asantewaa is remembered for leading her country against the British in the War of the Golden Stool. The war began when a British representative sat on the Golden Stool, considered a sacred emblem of the Ashanti people.

Ghanaian businesswoman Esther Afua Ocloo, better known as the founder of Women’s World Banking, had stepped into the world of business with less than a dollar. She initially sold marmalade in Ghana and then moved to England to learn food processing, eventually turning into a microlending pioneer.

John Dramani Mahama is a Ghanaian politician who served as the president of Ghana from July 2012 to January 2017. He was previously the vice president of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012. He is the first head of state of Ghana to have been born after Ghana's independence. He is a staunch campaigner for sustainability. 

Nana Akufo-Addo is a Ghanaian politician and the current President of Ghana. An important politician, Akufo-Addo also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1 April 2003 to 1 July 2007. In 2017, Nana Akufo-Addo was honored by the Africa-America Institute with the prestigious National Achievement Award.

Ghanaian singer Dennis Nana Dwamena, better known by his stage name, KiDi, is a master of high-life and Afrobeats. Though an economics graduate, his love for music made him start a music career with cover versions. His music has earned him many honors, such as 4 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.

John Atta Mills was a Ghanaian legal scholar and politician. He is best known for his service as the President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. Previously, he had served as the Vice President of Ghana from 1997 to 2001. John Atta Mills was the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize.

Ghanaian actress, model and film-producer Yvonne Nelson chanced upon acting with the film Princess Tyra. Over the years, she has produced and starred in several movies, most-notably the Ghanaian-Nigerian comedy House of Gold that bagged many awards at 2013 Zulu African Film Academy Awards. She founded the Yvonne Nelson Glaucoma Foundation and is noted for her charity-work in fighting glaucoma.

Ghanaian singer Ama Serwah Genfi, better known by her stage name, Amaarae, soared to fame with the 2020 hit Sad Girlz Luv Money, which became viral after it was remixed the following year. Known for her signature buzz haircut, she is also a popular style icon.

Rebecca Akufo-Addo is a Ghanaian public figure best known as the wife of the current President Nana Akufo-Addo. Since 2017, she has been serving as the First Lady of Ghana and has received praises for her fight against malnutrition in children and adolescents. As the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has also contributed immensely to women's health across Africa.

John Dumelo is a Ghanaian actor, politician, entrepreneur, and farmer. He is best known for his portrayal of Manuel Quagraine in the 2014 Ghanaian-Nigerian film A Northern Affair, which earned him a Ghana Movie Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role. John Dumelo is also credited with launching his own clothing line called J.Melo.