The Accra expat scene is pretty small if we take into consideration how big the city is. Despite being small, it is well developed. After a while, you will realize that it is like a small community within Accra where everyone knows each other, so making new connections with other expats in Accra won’t be a problem.
Greenviews, a great community of Accra expats
The poolside garden area in Green Views
Our cozy residential oasis is located in one of the best neighborhoods in Accra. It is a community that accommodates families, couples, individuals from countries all over the world.
Our communal space is a great area in itself to come out and socialize with your neighbors whilst enjoying the peace and greenery of our garden and barbeque area.
This article is for you if you just arrived in Accra and you’re in the process of adapting to life in Ghana. Maybe you’ve been living in Accra for a while but many of your friends went back home and you want to meet new people, or simply maybe you want to expand your already existing circle of friends.
Expats in Accra groups according nationality
A first step you could try to make connections is to find a group according to your nationality. These are a few of them:
- British in Ghana Society (BiGS)For British people and those with British connections. The society has regular meetings to socialize, meet new people, widen their knowledge and interest in Ghana and raise money to help support Ghanaian charities and development projects. If you are interested in joining please email britishinghanasociety@gmail.com for membership information.
- The francophone association Accra Accueil Association of French-speaking expatriates in Ghana. Check their Facebook group.
- The North American Women Association (NAWA) One of NAWA’s mission is to actually promote friendships between women of all nationalities, so even of you are not from North America, you can still apply.
- South African community in Ghana There is a Facebook group you can join to make connections with your fellow compatriots.
- Indian Association of Ghana
Accra expats Facebook groups
Then of course if you search on Facebook for your nationality + “in Ghana” you also have a pretty good chance to find a Facebook group with people from your country/nationality living in Ghana or having some form of connection to it. Some examples:
You might also want to check some of the lebanese and indian restaurants in Accra.
There are also very interactive expat groups on Facebook for all expats in Ghana. The most popular and we surely recommend to join are:
Smaller groups based in interests and hobbies
Smaller groups arrange more intimate gatherings based on specific interests and hobbies. For example, there is a group for mums in Ghana called Mummy & Me Ghana with added benefits. Doing sports is also a great wat to meet fellow expats. Find out the best places to practice outdoor sports in Accra and stay fit while you connect with interesting people.
If you’re into painting you’re also in luck because the “sip and paint” events are organized by different cafes in Accra with frequency. You should follow Nothing To Do In Accra on Instagram to be up to date with the painting events, but also with the best events happening around the city. On Fridays they tend to post a “this weekend in Accra” post with all the events happening on that particular weekend.
If you’re vegan, apart from checking out some of our food recommendations, you can join the Vegan Ghana Facebook group. If you enjoy vegetarian cooking, even it you’re not one, we recommend to discover some of the best vegetarian restaurants in Accra.
For all yoga lovers, you should follow the Instagram account I Fit Wear, who tend to organize group yoga eco retreats. And if you want to start practicing yoga, feel free to chek the best places to do yoga in Accra.
Are you into climbing? Great because there is also a Ghana mountaineers group who organize hiking and climbing activities.
Check out Accra Konnect on Instagram to connect with like-minded professionals & entrepreneurs in Accra.
Nightlife events
Another great way to meet new people is through the various nightlife events in Accra that happen weekly. One of the most popular ones happens every Wednesday night at Afrikiko with its latin dance lessons from 7pm-12am (after the lessons the dance floor becomes free for everyone.
Expect to find some fun line dancing!). On Tuesdays you can join Sensual Tuesdays at Mama Cuisine.
Also, if you enjoy latin music and dancing, there are plenty of salsa clubs in Accra you can go to.
The Language Cafe Accra
Another great way to make new connections is at the Language Cafe Accra. As the name already suggests, this is an “out of classroom” experience to learn the local Ghanaian language (even the must-know Ghanaian slang words you should be using) as well as other foreign languages such as French, Spanish and German.
It happens once a week around different locations in Accra (depending on the language you choose). This initiative has been slowly growing due to its success and now also offers tours, volunteering experiences, cooking classes and a Potluck which happens every last Sunday of the month in Legon Botanical Gardens. You can check all the information on their website.
The “traditional” ways
Then of course let’s not forget about the more traditional ways which are sometimes actually the best way to make new connections! If you have children, you can always connect through your child’s school with other mums.
Join one of the popular gyms in Accra, or sign up to yoga classes and start interacting with other expats there. Or why not, you can even offer to volunteer with one of the Ghana NGOs, get involved in a good cause and also meet like minded people!
And our final expat advice, try connecting with people from all over the world, not just your own home country. This makes the expat life in Accra so much more exciting and enriching!
