A wave of multi-billion dollar investments over the past six years in Guyana is proving to the world that the country has evolved from a nation reliant on aid to now being one of the region’s most attractive business environments, says Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh.
Speaking on an episode of the Starting Point Podcast aired on May 3, Singh was keen to note that Guyana’s investment appeal is the result of “a sustained effort to build an attractive destination for investment” supported by policies aimed at maintaining long-term, sustainable growth.
The government’s strategy, he said, has drawn not only international capital but also increased participation from domestic investors, shoring up confidence in the country’s economic fortune.
“We did a lot of hard work to make an attractive place for international investors and also domestic investors to invest their capital,” Dr Singh said.
Guyana, once heavily indebted and reliant on concessional financing, has in recent years shown double-digit, world-topping economic growth following the commencement of oil production in December 2019. But Singh stressed that investor interest extends beyond oil and gas. Having attracted global oil majors to explore and develop its offshore resources, Guyana is now seeing investment “in so many other sectors of the economy,” he said.
The shift has also altered how international partners engage with the country. Dr Singh noted that Guyana is increasingly viewed not as a recipient of aid, but more as “a destination for investment, a country in which economic and commercial ties have great promise for deepening.”
That repositioning comes as Guyana consistently strengthens its profile. The country’s economic expansion, Dr Singh added, reflects more than oil revenues; it is also a product of long-term policy discipline and efforts to create a stable investment climate.
The international community, he said, has taken note, recognising both Guyana’s economic performance and the policy framework supporting it. As interest grows, the Finance Minister said partnerships are increasingly focused on expanding trade and investment.
In 2025, Foreign Direct Investment in Guyana was nearly US$3.5 billion, according to Budget 2026. It is projected to reach roughly US$2.5 billion this year as the government continues to encourage and cultivate the conditions necessary for greater investment in Guyana’s non-oil sectors, as part of its drive to keep the economy diversified.