Access Bank Ghana Plc has signed a risk-sharing guarantee agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) aimed at expanding credit to Ghana’s cocoa sector, as authorities encourage banks to channel more financing into productive areas of the economy.
The agreement, signed in Accra, is intended to improve access to working capital for Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), which play a central role in Ghana’s domestic cocoa purchasing system by linking smallholder farmers to international markets.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Bank of Ghana Second Deputy Governor Matilda Asante-Asiedu said the scheme aligned with national priorities of deepening financial inclusion, strengthening private sector participation and accelerating economic diversification.
She said the facility was designed to unlock opportunities across the cocoa value chain, particularly by easing liquidity constraints faced by LBCs during the cocoa purchasing season.
“Ensuring the stability of Licensed Buying Companies is not merely a commercial objective, it is a national economic priority,” Asante-Asiedu said. “Their role is critical to safeguarding rural livelihoods, strengthening export earnings and supporting exchange rate resilience.”
Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, and the crop remains one of the country’s main foreign exchange earners. However, financing constraints, price volatility and operational risks have long affected firms operating along the supply chain.
Under the risk-sharing arrangement, the IFC will provide a credit guarantee that reduces lending risks for Access Bank, enabling it to extend financing more safely and at scale to eligible cocoa sector players.
Asante-Asiedu praised the IFC’s continued engagement in Ghana’s economy, saying the institution had played a key role in supporting economic transformation through development finance, partnerships and private sector investments. She said the latest agreement reinforced the IFC’s long-term commitment to Ghana’s economic resilience.
She also pointed to recent improvements in Ghana’s macroeconomic environment, saying prudent monetary policy and disciplined fiscal management had helped restore stability after a period of severe economic stress.
According to the central bank, inflation has returned to single-digit levels, confidence has improved and growth has strengthened, creating a more predictable environment for banks to expand lending to real sectors of the economy.
“This improved macroeconomic environment provides a strong foundation for banks to recalibrate their business models and expand financing to productive sectors, particularly agriculture,” Asante-Asiedu said.
She described agriculture as central to job creation, export growth and improved livelihoods, adding that de-risking the sector was essential to crowding in private capital.
The deputy governor also highlighted Access Bank Ghana’s recent financial performance, describing the lender as a credible conduit for development finance partnerships.
As of end-December 2025, Access Bank Ghana recorded total assets of 19.47 billion Ghana cedis (US$1.6 billion), accounting for about 4.36 percent of industry assets. Customer deposits stood at 14.27 billion cedis, reflecting strong market confidence, she said.
The bank reported a return on assets of 3.75% and a return on equity of 21.58% in 2025, while its non-performing loan ratio stood at 3.82%, indicating disciplined credit underwriting and robust risk management.
“These strengths position Access Bank well to partner international institutions such as the IFC in delivering development finance,” Asante-Asiedu said.
Looking ahead, she encouraged the IFC to consider issuing green bonds in Ghana’s domestic capital market, arguing that making such instruments accessible to local banks could strengthen sustainable finance and mobilise funding for climate-aligned projects.
She said the risk-sharing agreement marked a significant step in strengthening financing for Ghana’s cocoa supply chain and demonstrated how credit guarantees could reduce risk, expand lending and support national development goals.
The central bank urged Access Bank to deploy the facility efficiently and responsibly to ensure the cocoa sector remains competitive and resilient.
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