BoG urges banks to treat women entrepreneurs as key commercial market, not charity cases
The Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Matilda Asante-Asiedu, has called on financial institutions to rethink how they perceive and support women entrepreneurs, urging them to treat them as a strong commercial market rather than a charitable segment.
She argued that women-led businesses have consistently demonstrated strong financial discipline, including better loan repayment behaviour and prudent investment decisions, making them highly reliable clients for banks.
Speaking at the 2026 Ghana Female CEOs Summit, Mrs. Asante-Asiedu encouraged banks and other financial institutions to develop tailored financial products that improve access to credit for women-owned enterprises.
She noted that available data and industry experience show that women entrepreneurs often record lower loan default rates compared to many other customer groups.
“So to the financial institutions, stop treating women entrepreneurs as a charitable constituency and start treating them as the most commercially compelling segment,” she said.
Drawing on her experience in commercial banking, she emphasised that evidence supports increased lending to women-led businesses, citing their strong repayment culture and commitment to business growth.
“The women repay better, they invest more, they build wisely and they build resilient enterprises,” she added.
Mrs. Asante-Asiedu also urged banks to reconsider the risk premiums attached to loans for women entrepreneurs, arguing that such pricing structures often do not reflect actual repayment behaviour.
She explained that borrowers with consistent repayment records and a track record of reinvesting in their businesses should be rewarded with more favourable loan terms.
“In banking, apart from the Ghana reference rate, we add what we call the risk premium. But if you have a customer who repays consistently and invests the money back into the business, then giving them the right price means your business will continue to thrive,” she noted.
She further stressed that empowering women entrepreneurs has broader economic benefits, including improved household welfare and stronger national economic growth, making them a critical driver of development.
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