Early last year, we launched our brand promise: “Your Story Matters,” a commitment to putting our clients and stakeholders at the centre of every decision, innovation, and partnership.

In Absa, this promise guided us as we partnered with businesses to grow, empowered young people to realise their potential, and invested in solutions that create lasting value for communities.

As we reflect on the past year, we take immense pride in the milestones we achieved together. Through strategic partnerships, tailored solutions, and community investments, we have supported growth where it matters most. As we look to 2025, our focus remains on delivering shared value and enabling growth for all our stakeholders.

Unlocking Opportunities for Growth Through Partnerships

We are deeply committed to collaborations, and these have consistently delivered impactful results. For example, our partnership with the Mastercard Foundation has been instrumental in driving meaningful change in our lending to SMEs. Through this partnership, we provided loans at an interest rate of 10% per annum to over 7,000 small businesses. These loans enabled SMEs to expand their operations significantly, resulting in the creation of nearly 50,000 jobs.

Through our Ahomka Loan initiative, in partnership with MTN, we have offered more than GHS 7 billion in microloans through MTN digital wallets since the partnership began five years ago. Additionally, our partnership with CAMFED has focused on empowering 100 women through vocational training, equipping them with the skills needed to build livelihoods.

Supporting SMEs: Driving Economic Growth

Small and medium-sized enterprises remain a key focus for us. This year, SMEs will continue to access collateral-free financing at an interest rate of 10% per annum to support their business growth. Our monthly SME Clinics have always provided practical guidance on navigating business challenges and identifying growth opportunities.

This year, we have upgraded the sessions with a fresh lineup of knowledgeable and experienced resource persons who will provide attendees with key skills for business success. We have also set up a new SME Lounge facility at our Adum branch, a dedicated space for SME clients, offering tailored financial services, free meeting rooms, and internet access.

Innovating Personal and Corporate Banking

Our clients are at the centre of our banking innovations. This year, we will be developing new products that make banking even more convenient and seamless, no matter where or how you bank. We are enhancing our mobile app with new features to make banking faster and more convenient and expanding our Agency Banking footprint to bring banking services closer to customers who may not currently have the same level of banking access as others.

For clients seeking premium services, our Infinite and Signature Credit Cards continue to offer exclusive benefits such as an insurance cover of $2.5 million, up to 40 per cent discount for shopping in any Absa Bank partner institution across the world, access to airport lounges, travel insurance, and exclusive concierge services.

Our Corporate and Investment Banking provides businesses a global reach with local expertise. It covers Relationship Management at local and international levels. We are invested in our clients’ stories, and we meet their evolving needs through our customisable digital capabilities, Trade Finance, Investment Banking and more. with services anchored in trusted partnerships.

Remaining a Force for Good in our Communities

Beyond banking, we are committed to creating opportunities that empower communities. Last year, over 100,000 students benefited from financial literacy training, exposing them to money management skills through our Absa Money Matters programme. This year, we plan to expand its reach even further.
Our ReadytoWork programme, a proprietary e-learning platform, has already equipped hundreds of young people with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the world of work.

In 2025, we plan to reach even more young people and provide the tools they need to succeed in their careers. We are scaling up our vocational training efforts, having equipped 100 young women with essential skills and aiming to empower another 100 in 2025. In addition, we are constructing boreholes to provide access to clean water in communities facing water scarcity. Eleven boreholes have been completed so far and were commissioned in January 2025.

Our purpose for 2025 remains clear: Empowering Africa’s Tomorrow, Together… One Story at a Time. We deeply appreciate the trust of our clients, and the collaboration of our partners, and encourage those yet to join the Absa Bank family to make us part of their journey this year. At Absa Bank Ghana, Your Story Matters, and we are committed to supporting you in shaping your next chapter.

******

 The author, Edward Nartey Botchway, is the Managing Director of Absa Bank Ghana Limited