Guyana is targeting major expansion in the creative economy and digital services sector as part of efforts to diversify its rapidly growing economy and position itself as a regional hub for innovation and entertainment.
Speaking to investors at the US-Guyana Business Exchange Reception, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the government intends to make significant investments in what is globally known as the orange economy, encompassing film, entertainment, culture, sports and creative industries.
He outlined an ambitious vision for Guyana to become a preferred destination for film production, streaming content and global entertainment projects.
“We are going to invest heavily in the orange economy. We want to be the destination for movies, Netflix series. We want Guyana to be a mega hub of culture, entertainment, sports. These are things that we are going after.We don’t want to be on a single track,” he said.
Drawing comparisons to Colombia’s creative sector growth, he argued that Guyana’s unique natural environment gives it a competitive edge.
“There is no better place to film a series like Survivor or Naked and Afraid than Guyana,” President Ali said.
With vast rainforests, rivers, savannahs and biodiversity-rich landscapes, Guyana has increasingly been marketed internationally as an eco-tourism destination. The government now hopes to leverage those same assets to attract film and media production.
He continued, “We have the ecosystem to support the orange economy in unbelievable ways. And that is why we want people who will help us to shorten the time to get to these products. We can’t go in a linear fashion. We have to leapfrog to that destination. We have to use every available tool to leapfrog us, to save us 30 years of straight line development. That is why partnership and networking is so important for us.”
According to the head of state, Guyana is also gaining attention from some of the world’s largest data centre operators, reflecting growing confidence in Guyana’s digital infrastructure ambitions.
“Almost every one of the major players in the data center world in hyperscale investment, they have Guyana on their trajectory,” he revealed.
The interest follows significant improvements in Guyana’s energy outlook, including the development of natural gas infrastructure expected to support lower-cost and more reliable electricity generation. The president explained that this transformation did not happen by chance, but rather through vision, purposeful planning and deep integration.
He also highlighted the role of local investors, noting that Guyanese entrepreneurs at home and abroad have already committed substantial resources to shore-based infrastructure supporting the country’s offshore energy sector.
“When you look at a combined investment from Guyanese here and in the diaspora, they have invested more than a billion dollars in shore-based facility and wharf facilities in Guyana,” he said.
As Guyana continues to expand its economic footprint, President Ali said the country’s next chapter will be defined by innovation, bold partnerships and rapid diversification.
“What lies ahead is a story that will be mind-blowing,” he asserted. “That will be studied in universities.”