ASCON Names GIPS President Simon Annan as Advisory Board Chair in Push to Reengineer Africa’s Supply Chains

The African Supply Chain Confederation (ASCON) has appointed Dr. Simon Annan, President of the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS), as Chairman of its Advisory Board, a move that signals a deeper continental push toward professionally governed, integrated and globally competitive supply chains.

The appointment marks a significant milestone for ASCON, a pan-African body established to professionalise, integrate and future-proof Africa’s fragmented procurement and supply chain ecosystem at a time when trade integration and industrialisation have moved to the centre of the continent’s economic agenda.

Dr. Annan brings more than two decades of leadership in procurement and supply chain management, spanning policy development, institutional governance and professional capacity building across public, private and non-governmental sectors. His elevation to the advisory role provides ASCON with strategic depth and continuity as it seeks to transition Africa’s supply chains from transactional operations into ethically grounded, performance-driven systems.

From Fragmentation to Continental Integration

ASCON was formed to confront long-standing structural weaknesses in Africa’s supply chain profession—fragmentation, uneven standards and weak cross-border coordination—that continue to limit the continent’s competitiveness.

Dr. Annan’s appointment reflects a deliberate shift toward stronger governance frameworks capable of supporting Africa’s industrial ambitions and unlocking the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Industry observers say his background in institutional reform and professional regulation positions ASCON to play a more decisive role in shaping harmonised procurement standards and supply chain practices across borders.

Ghana’s Expanding Strategic Role

The move also reinforces Ghana’s growing influence in shaping Africa’s supply chain transformation. As AfCFTA host nation, Ghana has increasingly emerged as a policy and professional hub for trade, logistics and procurement reform.

ASCON said Dr. Annan’s appointment strengthens continental efforts to modernise logistics, procurement and value-chain infrastructure—critical enablers for seamless cross-border trade, competitiveness and inclusive growth.

Building Standards, Trust and Scale

Founded in August last year, ASCON brings together professional bodies from seven countries—Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe—under a unified platform committed to collaboration, harmonised standards and mutual recognition.

Its core work focuses on:

• Developing standardised accreditation frameworks

• Establishing robust ethical codes

• Sharing best practices across procurement, logistics and supply chain management

By reducing operational bottlenecks and integrating regional supply chains, ASCON aims to help African businesses achieve economies of scale, improve reliability and compete more effectively in global markets.

Leadership with Continental Ambition

ASCON’s leadership structure is further reinforced by Mr. Ronald Mlalazi, who serves as President, and Professor Douglas Boateng, appointed as Goodwill Ambassador.

Professor Boateng’s involvement brings global credibility and long-term strategic vision to the confederation, reinforcing its mission to transform Africa’s supply chains into ethically governed engines of industrialisation and shared prosperity.

A Strategic Reset

Taken together, these leadership appointments represent more than institutional changes. They signal what ASCON describes as a continental reset—one rooted in the recognition that Africa’s future competitiveness will depend less on rhetoric and more on professionally governed supply chains, integrated markets and leaders willing to think beyond borders, political cycles and short-term gains.

For a continent seeking to industrialise, trade more with itself and build economic resilience, the stakes could not be higher.

Source: Accra Business News