IFC–Access Bank Guarantee to Boost Cocoa Financing, Strengthen Ghana’s Economic Resilience
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Access Bank Ghana Plc have signed a Risk Sharing Guarantee Scheme aimed at expanding financing for Ghana’s cocoa sector, a move expected to strengthen rural livelihoods, support export earnings and enhance overall economic resilience.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mrs. Matilda Asante-Asiedu, described the agreement as a strategic partnership aligned with national priorities, including financial inclusion, private sector development and economic diversification.
She explained that the scheme is designed to provide critical working capital to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), which form the backbone of Ghana’s domestic cocoa purchasing system. By improving liquidity for LBCs, the facility will help stabilise the cocoa value chain, protect smallholder farmer incomes and sustain Ghana’s export performance, with positive implications for foreign exchange stability.
Mrs. Asante-Asiedu noted that the agreement comes at a time when Ghana’s macroeconomic conditions have improved significantly. She attributed the recovery to prudent monetary policy implementation and disciplined fiscal management, which have helped restore confidence, support economic growth and bring inflation back to single-digit levels.
She said the more predictable macroeconomic environment provides a strong foundation for banks to recalibrate their business models and expand financing to productive sectors, particularly agriculture, which remains central to job creation, improved livelihoods, export growth and national development.
The Deputy Governor commended Access Bank Ghana for its performance and contribution to the banking sector. As at end-December 2025, the bank recorded total assets of GHS19.47 billion, representing 4.36 percent of industry assets, while deposits reached GHS14.27 billion, reflecting strong market confidence, customer loyalty and institutional credibility.
She added that Access Bank posted solid profitability in 2025, recording a Return on Assets of 3.75 percent and a Return on Equity of 21.58 percent, alongside a Non-Performing Loans ratio of 3.82 percent. These indicators, she said, point to disciplined credit underwriting and robust risk management, positioning the bank as a credible conduit for development finance in partnership with international institutions such as the IFC.
Mrs. Asante-Asiedu said the credit guarantee will lower barriers to financing within the cocoa sector, enabling safer and more scalable lending to key actors that sustain Ghana’s export economy. She encouraged Access Bank to deploy the facility efficiently, responsibly and impactfully to ensure the cocoa value chain remains competitive, resilient and inclusive.
Looking ahead, she also urged the IFC to explore opportunities for issuing green bonds in Ghana’s domestic capital market, noting that such instruments could deepen sustainable finance and mobilise funding for climate-aligned and environmentally responsible projects across the country.
She concluded that the partnership exemplifies how strategic credit guarantees can de-risk agriculture, crowd in private capital and advance Ghana’s broader development objectives.
