President John Dramani Mahama has stressed the urgent need for Ghana’s financial sector to become more inclusive, asserting that economic transformation cannot succeed if access to finance remains the privilege of a few. Speaking at the 2025 Kwahu Business Forum held in Mpraeso, the President laid out a bold vision for a financial ecosystem that empowers every Ghanaian, from roadside vendors to export-ready manufacturers.
“We must build an economy that is resilient, inclusive, and productive. And this cannot be achieved without a financial sector that works not just for a few, but for every Ghanaian business,” President Mahama said, addressing a packed audience of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and financial stakeholders.
His comments come at a time when many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana continue to struggle with high borrowing costs and limited access to credit, factors that hamper growth and innovation across key sectors of the economy.
In response, Mahama unveiled a series of financial and economic initiatives that his administration intends to roll out. These include expanding access to affordable financing through state-supported banks like the Ghana Development Bank and the newly proposed Women Development Bank. He also outlined plans to introduce a national venture capital fund to support youth- and women-led businesses, while reforming the credit system to reduce interest rates and improve financial literacy.
“We will retool the financial sector to serve the real economy, not just government borrowing or speculative trading,” the President said, promising to shift policy direction toward productive and job-creating investments.
Mahama also pledged to improve infrastructure, digital, physical, and institutional, to create an enabling environment for business. Through strategic partnerships, the government hopes to reduce bureaucratic red tape, enhance transparency, and encourage banks to lend more to productive sectors.
But his message wasn’t just directed at institutions. Financial inclusion, Mahama said, would be at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda. “No economy can grow if its people remain excluded from formal financial systems,” he said, adding that partnerships with fintechs, mobile money operators, and rural banks would be critical to reaching underserved communities.
As part of a broader 24-Hour Economy strategy, the President committed to ensuring reliable electricity, logistics, and public safety to enable businesses to operate beyond the traditional 9 to 5.
“The future of business in Ghana must be digital, green, and inclusive,” Mahama stated, emphasizing the importance of building a business ecosystem that supports innovation while ensuring that no community is left behind.
With macroeconomic indicators beginning to stabilize and investor confidence gradually returning, Mahama believes now is the time to pivot from recovery to transformation. And for him, that journey must begin with a financial sector that truly works for everyone.
“We cannot talk about economic growth if the financial system continues to lock out the majority,” he said. “This is the time to be bold, to be deliberate, and to build a Ghana where opportunity is accessible to all.”
