Kofi Ahovi

Kate Agamah, Head, Transaction Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, Stanbic Bank Ghana. Every exporter or importer who has waited for days for a payment to clear or watched a shipment's margin erode to a currency conversion, understands the truth that policy documents rarely capture: trade doesn't fail at the border. It fails in the payment. Goods can move freely across a continent, but if the money behind them takes a week and three intermediaries to arrive, that freedom means little. This is the quiet problem Ghana's next phase of trade growth depends on solving, and it's why two systems with unglamorous acronyms, CIPS and PAPSS, deserve more attention in boardrooms than they currently get. The Cost of Doing Business Across Borders For years, Ghanaian businesses trading internationally have leaned on correspondent banking networks, chains of intermediary banks that route a payment from one currency system to another, usually settling in US dollars regardless of...

 In today's rapidly evolving financial ecosystem, financial inclusion can no longer be measured simply by the number of people who own bank accounts. Across the world, and particularly in emerging economies such as Ghana, the conversation has shifted towards ensuring that individuals and businesses have meaningful access to financial services that improve their lives, support their ambitions, and enable them to participate fully in economic growth. This reality calls for a strategic, innovation-driven approach to financial inclusion – one that responds to the complexities of modern life and addresses the unique challenges faced by underserved communities. The new face of financial inclusion Ghana has made remarkable progress in expanding access to financial services over the past decade. The growth of mobile money, digital payments, and fintech solutions has transformed how millions of people save, transfer money, and conduct business. Yet, despite these gains, a significant portio...

 Stanbic Bank Ghana has been named Ghana’s Best Investment Bank at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, contributing to Standard Bank Group’s impressive tally of 17 awards across Africa. For more than 30 years, Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence have recognised financial institutions that set the global standard in performance, innovation and client impact. The recognition highlights Stanbic Bank Ghana’s continued leadership in delivering innovative corporate and investment banking solutions that support economic growth, facilitate investment and enable businesses to achieve their strategic ambitions. Standard Bank Group was recognised for its excellence across securities services, corporate and investment banking, and SME banking in Africa’s key markets, reaffirming its position as the continent’s leading financial services provider. The accolades awarded to the Group include Africa’s Best SME Banking Ecosystem, Africa’s Best for Securities Services and Africa’s Be...

  Stanbic Bank Ghana has reaffirmed its position as the leading private banking partner for affluent and high-net-worth clients in Ghana following Standard Bank Group’s recognition as Africa’s Best Private Bank at the prestigious Euromoney Private Banking Awards 2026. The accolade marks the second consecutive year that Standard Bank Group, of which Stanbic Bank Ghana is a member, has been named Africa’s Best Private Bank, underscoring the Group’s continued leadership in delivering world-class wealth management, investment and advisory solutions across the continent. At a time when preserving, growing and transferring wealth has become increasingly complex, the recognition reinforces Stanbic Bank Ghana's commitment to helping affluent individuals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and families navigate their financial journeys with confidence. In addition to winning Africa’s Best Private Bank, the Group was recognised in several key categories, including, Africa’s Best for Family Offi...

 The nature of financial crime is no longer static. As highlighted in the recent Ghana Association of Bankers Industry Fraud Report, fraud is evolving in form, speed, and sophistication, with material implications for our operational resilience, customer confidence, and systemic stability. What used to be isolated incidents of opportunistic theft has matured into highly organized, syndicated operations. For an economy like Ghana’s, which relies heavily on digital financial inclusion to drive growth, this shift means that financial fraud is no longer just a banking headache. It has escalated into a pressing national security and economic issue. When a fraudster strips an individual of their hard-earned savings or drains a local business of its revenue, the damage ripples far beyond the immediate financial loss. It fractures the foundational element of any thriving economy: trust. As confidence in the ecosystem fades, investors hesitate, consumers become overly cautious, and the over...

Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank Ghana  Stanbic Bank Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability with a large-scale tree planting exercise aimed at supporting Ghana’s climate resilience efforts and reducing carbon emissions. The initiative, which forms part of the bank’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda, saw hundreds of staff participate in the planting of more than 10,000 trees at one of three designated locations across the country; Chipa, Juaso and Tamale. The exercise contributes to the bank’s broader target of planting 50,000 trees this year and one million trees in the long term. Speaking during the exercise, the Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning, said the program reflects the bank’s belief that economic growth and environmental responsibility must go hand in hand. According to him, the increasing impact of climate change, rising temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions demand practical a...

 Stanbic Bank Ghana is stepping up its fight against financial fraud through investments in advanced technology, including artificial intelligence-driven monitoring systems designed to identify suspicious activities, strengthen fraud detection and protect customer assets. The Chief Risk Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Felicity Osafo Sampong, disclosed this at the Stanbic Bank/Graphic Business Breakfast Meeting held in Accra on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The event, which brought together regulators, banking executives, fintech leaders, telecommunications operators and security agencies, was held on the theme, “Shine Your Eyes: Combating Financial Fraud in Ghana through Collaboration and Innovation.” Speaking during a panel discussion on the growing threat of financial crime, Mrs. Osafo Sampong said financial institutions must continually adapt their risk management approaches to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. Beyond awareness and education, we are investing in ...

  Stanbic Bank Ghana, in partnership with Visa, has rewarded customers who emerged as winners of its FIFA World Cup Experience Campaign while simultaneously launching a new Local Card Usage Initiative aimed at accelerating digital payments, supporting merchants and rewarding customers for spending locally. The event, held under Stanbic Bank's 2026 Bank the Moment campaign, celebrated customers whose consistent use of their Stanbic Visa debit and credit cards earned them unforgettable experiences, including the opportunity to attend the FIFA World Cup in person. Speaking at the event, Chidinma Braye-Yankee, Head of Brand and Marketing at Stanbic Bank Ghana, said the campaign demonstrates the power of partnerships and the Bank's commitment to creating meaningful value for customers. "Since April this year, Stanbic Bank has been on an exciting journey through our 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, themed Bank the Moment. This campaign goes beyond sport. It is a deliberate effort t...

 Stanbic Bank Ghana has donated relief items worth GHS 400,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support communities affected by recent flooding and fire incidents across Accra and other parts of the country. The presentation took place at the NADMO Headquarters on 5 th June 2026, reaffirming the Bank’s commitment to supporting Ghanaians in times of need. The heavy downpour and subsequent fire outbreak on Wednesday, 3 rd June, displaced families, disrupted livelihoods, and caused significant hardship for residents and market operators. In response, Stanbic Bank swiftly mobilised a comprehensive package of essential items to complement NADMO’s ongoing relief and recovery efforts. Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning said: “At Stanbic Bank, our purpose is Ghana is our home, and we drive her growth . We recognise that true growth is only possible when our communities and people are thriving. When our communities prosper, we prosp...

  The Head of Strategy and Enablement at Stanbic Bank, Darwin Mireku, has called for a more balanced approach to digital lending across Africa. Speaking at the 3i Africa Summit 2026, he stressed that sustainability and positive customer outcomes must remain at the center of financial innovation. During a panel discussion on the topic, “Access vs. Protection: The Next Chapter of Financial Health in Africa,” Mireku said the rapid growth of digital credit services across the continent presents both significant opportunities and emerging risks that industry players must address collectively. According to him, expanding access to credit alone should not become the sole measure of success for financial institutions and fintech platforms operating within Africa’s evolving digital finance landscape. We all understand the importance of access to financing for economies like ours. However, as the industry evolves, better customer outcomes must become central to what we do instead of simply i...

Stanbic Bank Ghana Business Incubator and Business & Commercial Banking team with some participants at the  Stanbic Bank Ghana has called on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to move beyond survival-driven operations and adopt structured business practices to achieve long-term growth. This message was central to the 2026 SME Clinic held in Tamale, which was themed “ From Survival to Scale: Building SMEs that Endure. ” The two-day engagement brought together entrepreneurs, business development experts, and institutional partners to equip SMEs with practical tools for sustainability. Delivering the opening remarks, Dinah Kaleo-Bioh, Head of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, emphasized that while Ghanaian entrepreneurs are resilient and innovative, many businesses remain constrained by weak internal systems and limited access to the right knowledge. Tamale continues to remind us why enterprise development must be intentional, practical, and locally grounded,...

Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, Head, Investment Banking, Stanbic Bank Ghana Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, Head of Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, has advised real estate developers across Africa to complement their innovative ideas with careful project preparation, highlighting that well-structured plans are more likely to attract meaningful financing from banks. Bentsi-Enchill made the remarks at the Africa Real Estate Festival, where he joined industry leaders, investors, and developers to examine the persistent financing gaps that continue to slow the pace of property development across Africa. When a developer walks through our doors with a project, the quality of the idea matters, but it is rarely the deciding factor. What separates a fundable project from one that stalls at the assessment stage is preparation. Complete documentation, credible financial projections, clear land title, and a well-articulated exit strategy tell us that the developer has done the hard thinking. That is what ...

Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic Bank Ghana, presenting the cheque to representatives of the Yaa Naa. Stanbic Bank Ghana has donated GH¢200,000 to the Dagbon Development Fund, which is spearheading the redevelopment of the historic Gbewaa Palace in Yendi. The donation forms part of the bank’s broader commitment to strengthening ties with the Dagbon Traditional Area and supporting community-driven development initiatives within the kingdom. Presenting the cheque to the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa Mahama Abukari II, the Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning praised the traditional leader for the stability and growth witnessed in the area under his leadership. According to him, the peace and unity currently prevailing in Dagbon have created an enabling environment for development and investment, adding that the bank was proud to contribute to such a transformational initiative. “We are honored to support this important project because development thriv...

Stanbic Bank Ghana has announced a GHS 3 million commitment to support the Black Stars of Ghana in their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, which will be hosted across the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. The announcement was made at a presentation ceremony at the Ministry of Finance at Kanda in Accra. The contribution makes Stanbic Bank one of Ghana’s most significant private-sector backers of the national football team ahead of the country’s anticipated return to the world’s biggest football tournament.   Kwamina Asomaning, Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank Ghana, presenting cheque to Hon. Thomas Ampem Nyarko, Deputy Minister for Finance. The GHS 3 million pledge is deliberately structured to blend immediate encouragement with performance-driven motivation. An initial GHS 1.5 million will be presented upfront as a bonus on bonus for the playing body while the remaining GHS 1.5 million will be unlocked the moment the team advances to the knockout rounds of the competition. Sta...

  Senior executives of Stanbic Bank Ghana have shared insights into Ghana’s rapidly evolving financial ecosystem with participants of the GIBS INSETA IMPD Women Immersion Programme, highlighting how digital innovation, capital markets and inclusive banking are shaping economic growth across emerging markets. The discussions formed part of the leadership immersion programme organized by the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA) in partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). The initiative brings together women leaders from South Africa’s insurance sector for a year-long development programme that combines academic training with international learning experiences. During the session, Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, Head of Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, provided participants with a broad perspective on Ghana’s financial infrastructure and how it continues to evolve within the realities of a largely informal economy. He noted that digital fi...

 After enduring one of the most severe economic crises in a generation, Ghanaian businesses are finally experiencing a resurgence. The most significant sign of this turnaround are interest rates. The Bank of Ghana has trimmed its benchmark Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), which stood at a punishing 30% at the close of 2023, in consecutive reductions through 2025 to reach 14.0% by March of this year. Inflation, meanwhile, has plunged to 3.30% well below the central bank's target band and the cedi has appreciated over 40% against the US dollar from 2025 to date. This confluence of improved macroeconomic fundamentals is a structural opening for industry, manufacturing, and enterprise to flourish. KEY INDICATORS AT A GLANCE ↓  14.0%                       3.30%  ↓                    ...

    Marian Amartey, Head, Women’s Banking, Business and Commercial Banking, Stanbic Bank Ghana Women-led businesses in Ghana are being encouraged to move beyond passive online activity and strategically use social media as a critical tool for growth, visibility and access to finance. This call was made by the Head of Women Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Marian Amartey, during the MTN SME Accelerate Webinar Series, where she spoke on the topic, “Breaking Barriers to Growth for Women in Business.” Her remarks highlighted a growing gap between the potential of women-owned enterprises and their ability to position themselves effectively in an increasingly digital business environment. According to her, while many women entrepreneurs are active on social media platforms, few are fully utilizing these tools to build credible business profiles that can attract customers, partners and even financial institutions. Social media presence is no longer optional; it plays a key role in vali...

 Commercial banks are increasingly rethinking how to finance Africa’s emerging pharmaceutical industry, with Stanbic Bank Ghana positioning itself as a key player in structuring flexible funding models that combine debt, equity and development finance partnerships. Speaking at the West Africa Biomanufacturing and Market Access Forum, Hakeem Shaibu, Senior Vice President for Telecoms, Media & Technology and Diversified Industries at Stanbic Bank, outlined how the bank is adapting its financing approach to support the capital-intensive and high-risk nature of biomanufacturing. Contributing to a panel discussion on “Making Biomanufacturing Bankable – What Investors Need from Governments and Manufacturers and vice versa,” Shaibu emphasized that Stanbic Bank leverages a wide range of funding solutions, including access to debt capital markets and equity investors, to structure deals that align with the long-term nature of pharmaceutical investments. He pointed to partnerships with d...

 Stanbic Bank Ghana has strengthened its support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the launch of a practical digital skills training programme designed to help businesses expand their reach and remain competitive in an increasingly digital economy. Delivered in partnership with PrymeAds and facilitated through the Stanbic Business Incubator, the initiative brings together entrepreneurs, industry experts, and business development consultants to build capacity in critical areas such as digital marketing, content creation, direct marketing, and data analytics. Speaking at the opening session, the Head of Business Development at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Safoa Appietu-Ankrah, highlighted the urgency for SMEs to embrace digital transformation, noting that it is no longer optional but essential for business survival and growth. She explained that the Bank’s ongoing engagement with businesses nationwide, particularly through its Stanbic SME Clinics has consistently revealed a g...

  Stanbic Bank Ghana LTD delivered strong earnings rebound in 2025, posting a sharp increase in profitability and revenue growth indicative of renewed confidence in Ghana’s banking sector amid improving credit conditions and expanding non-interest income streams. The bank recorded a profit after tax of GHS1.61 billion for the year ended December 2025, a 38.4 percent increase over the GHS1.16 billion reported in 2024, affirming one of the strongest year-on-year performances among tier-one banks during the period. The results reflect a combination of higher trading income, improved asset quality and sustained balance sheet expansion, even as banks continued to operate within a cautious post-debt restructuring economic environment. Total net income rose to GHS4.46 billion, representing a 22.2 percent increase year-on-year, supported by growth across both funded and non-funded income lines. Net interest income climbed 13 percent to...