Felicia Abban


Felicia Abban was Ghana's first female professional photographer. She worked as a photographer for Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, for many years during the 1960s.

Early life

At the age of 18, after her marriage, Felicia relocated from Takoradi to Accra, where she set up her own studio.

Photography career

Spanning 50 years, her photography career began when she learnt photography from her father, and became his only female apprentice at the time. Abban established her studio in Accra in 1955 and took on other women as apprentices. She was then recognized as one of Ghana's earliest instrumental female photographers projecting the contemporary African narrative through the lens. The first public display of her work was staged at ANO's gallery in March 2017 and the gallery has plans of transforming her studio into a museum in her honour. The museum when completed will help preserve her work further serving as a hub to support upcoming artists. Abban's private photo collection consists of self portraits before she attended events. She retired from photography as a result of a worsening arthritis condition.

Family life

Felicia was married to Robert Abban, the man who designed the fabric to commemorate Ghana's independence celebration in 1957 with Kwame Nkrumah's portrait featured on flowers with the Ghana map. Mr Abban was the creative director of former Ghana Textiles and Manufacturing Company.