Access Bank (Ghana) PLC has been ranked among the top-performing companies in boardroom gender diversity, according to the newly released Ghana Board Diversity Index Report 2025.

The Bank emerged as the second most gender-diverse board in Ghana, with 44% of its board seats occupied by women, significantly outperforming the national average of 25%.

The annual report, published by The Boardroom Africa in partnership with the Ghana Stock Exchange, assesses female representation across boards and senior leadership of all 36 listed companies in the country.

Access Bank’s performance places it firmly in the category of “Gender Champions”, which is a term used to describe companies with at least 30% women board representation, representing only 39% of Ghana’s listed firms.

In addition to the 44% female board representation, the report highlights that 50% of Access Bank’s Non-Executive Directors are women. The Bank also stands out as one of the few listed companies with a Woman Board Chair and a Woman Chief Operating Officer, demonstrating its strong commitment to inclusion at both board and executive levels.

The Board Chair of Access Bank Ghana, Ama Sarpong Bawuah, noted that the Bank remains committed to being a torchbearer in championing inclusivity.

“Our diversity agenda is integral to our culture and our business. We believe organisations that reflect the diversity of their markets are better equipped for innovation, sustainability, and long-term value creation.”

Speaking on the recognition, the Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Pearl Nkrumah, described the achievement as a reflection of the Bank’s long-standing commitment to inclusive leadership.

“We are proud to be recognised as one of the top organisations driving gender balance in Ghana’s corporate space. Diversity is not just a metric for us; it is a strategic imperative. The presence of women at the highest levels of leadership has strengthened our governance, broadened our perspectives, and enhanced our decision-making as a Bank,” she said.

Despite Ghana recording a modest 1% increase in women’s board representation from 2024, progress remains slow, with 61% of listed companies still below the 30% board diversity benchmark, and 14% of companies having no women on their boards at all.

Against this backdrop, Access Bank’s performance positions it as a leader in the corporate diversity movement and a model for other organisations looking to strengthen governance structures.

According to the report, companies chaired by women are nearly twice as likely to achieve the 30% diversity threshold. Access Bank’s performance aligns with this insight, reinforcing the positive impact of strong gender-inclusive leadership at the top.

Access Bank Ghana continues to champion initiatives that empower women within the Bank and across the communities it serves. Through strategic policies, leadership training, targeted recruitment, and mentorship programmes, the Bank is building a robust pipeline of female leaders.

Access Bank PLC is a leading full-service universal bank offering banking services to Retail, Corporate, Commercial, and Institutional clients. Operating from more than 700 branches and service outlets in 23 countries in Africa and the rest of the world including the UAE, UK, Hong Kong, and France along with three representative offices in China, India, and Lebanon, Access Bank is committed to setting standards for sustainable business practices that unleash the talents of employees, deliver superior value to customers, and provide innovative solutions for the markets and communities it serves.