Atta Yeboah Gyan, Deputy Managing Director for Operations and Support Functions at Fidelity Bank Ghana, has called for a concerted effort to steer finance towards sectors that actually drive Ghana's economy. These productive sectors are currently not receiving enough money from formal lenders. Gyan believes Ghana's recent success in managing its economy will only lead to lasting good if banks can overcome barriers that prevent businesses from accessing needed funds.
He made these remarks at the Business and Financial Times’ Money Summit 2026. The event's theme was "Building Trust, Capital and Stability for Ghana's Economic Future." Gyan acknowledged Ghana's economic progress. For example, the economy grew by 6% in the last three months of 2025. Inflation dropped from 23.8% in December 2024 to 5.4% by the end of 2025. Ghana's foreign currency reserves also reached $13.9 billion by April 2026. This amount can pay for 5.5 months of imported goods.
However, Gyan also pointed out remaining problems. The agriculture sector is crucial for Ghana's trade balance. In April 2026, Ghana's trade surplus grew by 26% to $5.28 billion. Yet, the agriculture sector had a high rate of unpaid loans. By February 2026, 54.7% of loans in this sector were not being repaid. "There is a fundamental mismatch between where our export strength comes from and where our credit is going," Gyan stated. This shows a disconnect between popular economic activities and financial support.
Gyan described a loss of trust as a core issue. This trust problem has two main parts. First, the ways banks check if someone can repay a loan are outdated. They do not work for many active Ghanaians. This makes them invisible to the banking system. Second, past events like the 2017/18 banking cleanup and the domestic debt exchange program damaged people's faith in financial institutions. "Building trust, in this environment, is a deliberate project," Gyan said. He added that it requires consistent actions and long-term, though sometimes difficult, decisions.
Fidelity Bank's own projects demonstrate that successful business models exist in underserved areas. The BRIDGE-in-Agriculture program, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, gave out GHS 66.9 million last year. This money helped create 12,912 new jobs and kept 11,566 existing jobs. It also supported 22,247 small farmers, with 62.4% being women. Additionally, the bank's GreenTech Innovation Challenge awarded GHS 1.02 million in grants to 16 businesses focused on climate solutions in 2025. The Orange Corners Innovation Fund, with support from the Netherlands, gave GHS 9.83 million to over 55 young entrepreneurs in areas like farming, fashion, and technology. This fund created more than 1,000 jobs. The Orange Inspire Creative Challenge provided GHS 550,000 in grants and easier loans to Ghana's creative sector.
Gyan admitted these amounts are small compared to the overall need. "But they represent a proof of concept that bankable models exist, and they need to be built and scaled," he noted. He offered three specific suggestions for the banking industry. First, a shared system for agricultural credit risk, involving the government, development banks, and commercial banks. Second, quicker and wider use of new ways to assess credit. These should use cellphone money data, supply chain information, and digital transaction histories. This would help identify credit-worthy Ghanaians currently missed by the system. Third, patient capital, meaning grants, low-interest loans, and mixed finance options, should be seen as vital investments. These are needed for sectors that will shape Ghana's future economy.
"Ghana has done something genuinely hard," Atta Yeboah Gyan concluded. "It came back from the edge. Now the question is what we build with the stability we have earned." His comments highlight the critical need to align financial flows with Ghana's actual economic potential and re-establish trust after significant market disruptions.