Over GH¢400m earmarked for Women's Development Bank - Veep

The Vice President of Ghana, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting women-owned businesses, calling for stronger investment and deliberate policies to unlock their full economic potential.

Her message, delivered on her behalf by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, at the Women Investment Summit Africa (WISA) 2026 on Monday, March 30, 2026, highlighted the critical role women play across Ghana’s economy.

“Women are active across informal markets, agricultural value chains, technology, manufacturing, logistics, finance, energy, mining services, and cross-border trade,” she said.

She noted that although women-owned businesses account for a significant share of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), many still face structural barriers that limit their growth.

“Women-owned businesses comprise about 40% of our micro, small and medium enterprises. Yet participation does not always translate into opportunities, and barriers persist, whether limited access to finance, gaps in investment, exclusion from supply chains, constrained access to export markets, limited asset ownership, or gender biases,” she stated.

She cautioned that resilience alone is not enough to sustain women in business, stressing the need for the right support systems to drive growth and expansion.

Women's Development Bank coming in 2026 - Felix Ofosu Kwakye

“Resilience under these conditions is not enough. Without the right support, it leads to fatigue rather than growth. But under improved conditions, resilience can be a driver of expansion, job creation, and economic transformation,” she added.

She further assured that the government is taking steps to address these challenges through targeted interventions, including strengthening partnerships with development finance institutions to expand lending to women-led enterprises.

She also revealed that plans are far advanced to establish a Women’s Development Bank aimed at improving access to finance for women entrepreneurs across the country.

“We are nearing the launch of the Women’s Development Bank, backed by more than GH¢400 million in the national budget. It is structured to provide concessionary, collateral-free loans, financial literacy, business development services, credit guarantees, and rural outreach,” she said.

The Vice President also called on investors, private sector players, and development partners to play a more active role in supporting women-led businesses, emphasising that inclusive growth requires collective action.

“The case for investing in women is already established. The question now is whether we will act on it consistently, deliberately, and at scale,” she stressed.

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