IShowSpeed in Ghana: the full trip
Twenty countries in twenty-eight days β and the stop Speed still talks about most. Here's everything that happened when the world's biggest streamer came to Ghana.
The arrival: Kotoka goes wild
Speed touched down in Accra on January 25, 2026, and Ghana was ready. Stunt bikers, a convoy, and crowds of fans greeted him at Kotoka International Airport β the kind of welcome usually reserved for heads of state, not 21-year-old streamers. Ghana was the second-to-last stop on "Speed Does Africa," and the energy suggested the country had been waiting.
His guide for the Ghana leg was Wode Maya, the Ghanaian YouTuber, whose team had helped coordinate the tour. Maya didn't just show Speed the sights β he opened doors: to chiefs, to dignitaries, to the palace itself.
Day one: Accra at full Speed
The first day was pure content gold:
π The Accra highlights
- Black Star Square β the iconic independence landmark, where Speed did a backflip that instantly went viral.
- Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park β paying respects at the resting place of Ghana's first president; he also met Nkrumah's daughter, Samia Nkrumah.
- Bukom Boxing Arena β trading playful blows with local boxing legend Bukom Banku (Braimah Kamoko).
- The food β jollof rice, tasted on stream, in front of the world's most opinionated food critics: the comments.
- The GTA open-top bus β touring the city with massive crowds following, Wode Maya at his side.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, Speed told his audience that his mother is Ghanaian β and that being in Ghana felt like coming "back home." Ghana heard him. The chiefs of Akropong were already preparing.
Day two: the naming
On January 26, the tour went east to Akropong, where the Okuapemhene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, formally bestowed the name Barima Kofi Akuffo on Speed in a traditional Akan naming ceremony β kente cloth, fontomfrom drums, royal gifts, and yes, another backflip.
Read the full ceremony story β
The aftermath: a passport and a legacy
Days after the visit, Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that Speed would be issued a Ghanaian passport, calling him a "worthy ambassador" whose presence had projected the country positively to an international audience. The decision made global headlines β and sparked the usual debate back home about celebrity citizenship.
As the 28-day tour wrapped, Speed reflected that Africa had "changed my life for the better" and "opened my eyes." He'd turned 21 in Lagos, Nigeria, crossed 50 million YouTube subscribers mid-tour β and left Ghana with a name, a passport, and a second home.
β Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on IShowSpeed's passport approval
Speed's Ghana, in numbers
Countries
The full "Speed Does Africa" tour, wrapped in 28 days β Ghana was the second-to-last stop.
Subscribers
Speed crossed 50 million YouTube subscribers during the tour β one of the biggest creators on earth.
Years old
He celebrated his 21st birthday live in Lagos, Nigeria, days before arriving in Ghana.
πΊοΈ Want the stop-by-stop version?
- We turned Speed's trip into a full Ghana itinerary β every stop he made, with practical tips for following it yourself.