Accra: The Vice President of Ghana, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has affirmed the government's commitment to supporting women-owned businesses, emphasizing the need for stronger investment and deliberate policies to unlock their economic potential. Her statement was delivered by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, at the Women Investment Summit Africa (WISA) 2026.
According to Ghana Web, the Vice President highlighted the crucial role of women in Ghana's economy, noting their active involvement in sectors such as informal markets, agricultural value chains, technology, manufacturing, logistics, finance, energy, mining services, and cross-border trade. Despite their significant contribution, women-owned businesses face structural barriers that limit growth and opportunities, including limited access to finance, investment gaps, and exclusion from supply chains.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang emphasized that resilience alone is insufficient for sustaining women in business, advocating for proper support systems to foster growth and expansion. She revealed that the government is working on targeted interventions to address these challenges, including partnerships with development finance institutions to enhance lending to women-led enterprises.
As part of these efforts, the Vice President announced the upcoming launch of a Women's Development Bank in 2026. This initiative, supported by over GHS400 million from the national budget, aims to provide concessionary, collateral-free loans, financial literacy, business development services, credit guarantees, and rural outreach to women entrepreneurs nationwide.
The Vice President called on investors, private sector entities, and development partners to support women-led businesses actively, stressing that inclusive growth requires collective action. She concluded by urging stakeholders to act on the established case for investing in women, highlighting the importance of consistent and deliberate efforts to achieve economic transformation.