Access Bank has been adjudged winner for the Women’s Market Champion 2015 Award category at the just ended 14^th Annual Summit of the Global Banking Alliance (GBA) for Women in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Bank received the distinguished award alongside banks across the world, which have implemented successful women market programmes.

The Women’s Market Champion award is coming on the heels of the one year anniversary of the Bank’s W initiative, which was launched in Nigeria and subsequently in the Bank’s subsidiaries in Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia.

The Global Banking Alliance for Women is the leading international consortium of financial institutions and other organizations interested in building women’s wealth worldwide.

Welcoming the news of the award received, the Head of Women Banking, Access Bank Ghana, Mrs. Matilda Asante-Asiedu expressed the bank’s appreciation to the many women who believed in the Bank’s dream of creating a conducive environment for women to thrive through its ‘W’ Initiative.

She reiterated that “the ‘W’ Initiative is a lever for any woman who wishes to achieve her life goals with a sound financial footing. “This award is an indication that the ‘W’ Initiative has got its fundamentals right in addressing the needs of women”, she concluded.

Launched earlier in March this year, the ‘W’ Initiative forms a key component of Access Bank’s financial inclusion drive which makes available to women, specialised bundled products and services to support them in their quest at growing their businesses, improving their family wellbeing and general lifestyle goals.

Women who are signed on to the initiative also get to have access to seasoned professionals as their mentors, discounted services with partner vendors and a chance to participate in the ‘W’ Awards currently running in the Nigerian market. The awards scheme will be replicated in Ghana next year to recognise and celebrate Ghanaian women who have had positive impact on the society.

GBA member institutions work in 135 countries to build innovative, comprehensive programs that provide women entrepreneurs with vital access to capital, markets, education and training. With the presence of Bankers, policymakers, multilateral and bilateral representatives, academics, and other stakeholders, the GBA Summit is one of the most comprehensive events for women’s financial inclusion in the world.