In Ghana it is very common to see the name of God, Allah and Jesus conspicuously in the naming of small wayside businesses - cosmetic, lotto, salon, barbering shops and drinking spots - and even in inscriptions on vehicles in town.

Ghanaians generally feel the presence of God in their daily activities brings more blessings and profit to their business. Hence, it is common to see inscriptions such as “God is Great shop,” “Allah is good,” “Mighty Jesus barbering salon,” and “The Lord is My Shepherd Enterprise” among other interesting names in front of shops.

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Most of the shop say such names bring a lot of protection from God and send the evil spirit away. “Since I started selling in this shop I have realized that God has an influence in my business,” Doris, owner of ‘God is Great’ shop told us.

Apart from the bigger shops and firms that register their names with the Registrar General’s Department, these wayside businesses pick their names at random hence it is common to see the same wording for three or more different shops in the same area and on the same street.

Also, shops with religious connotation in their names do have influence on some prospective customers. Bella who was spotted by AfricaNews in a beauty salon said she always look out for such names before going to buy. “When I see a shop with the name ‘Mary’s supermarket’ and ‘God’s Grace Supermarket’ I’ll go to ‘God’s Grace’ because it implies that they have religious background and knowledge,” she said.