Development Bank Ghana (DBG) has launched the DBG Women’s Lending Programme, a dedicated financing initiative aimed at improving access to affordable long-term capital for women-owned and women-led businesses across the country.
The programme seeks to address longstanding barriers that have limited women’s access to formal finance, including high collateral requirements, stringent documentation and elevated borrowing costs.
Launched in Kumasi as part of DBG’s fifth anniversary celebrations, the initiative reinforces the bank’s commitment to increasing access to long-term finance for businesses operating in Ghana’s productive sectors.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer of DBG, Prof. Randolph Nsor-Ambala, said women-owned businesses account for a significant proportion of Ghana’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) but remain underserved by the traditional banking sector.
“Women entrepreneurs are critical to Ghana’s economic future. Through this programme, we are creating practical pathways for more women-owned businesses to access the capital they need to grow, create jobs and build resilient enterprises,” he said.
Prof. Nsor-Ambala said the bank expects about 1,000 women-owned and women-led businesses to benefit from the programme between 2026 and 2028.
He said eligible businesses will span sectors including agriculture and agribusiness, manufacturing, technology, education, hospitality, creative industries and services.
The programme was unveiled during a customer appreciation dialogue that brought together women entrepreneurs, financial institutions and DBG officials to discuss challenges facing women-led businesses and identify ways to strengthen Ghana’s development finance ecosystem.
Participants highlighted persistent constraints in accessing affordable financing, particularly for businesses operating in underserved sectors and regions.
Prof. Nsor-Ambala said since its establishment in 2021, DBG has focused on closing Ghana’s long-term financing gap by providing wholesale funding and capacity-building support to participating financial institutions, enabling them to increase lending to businesses that drive economic growth and job creation.
