The Bank of Ghana says the country's banking sector has made significant progress in integrating sustainability into its operations, with industry-wide compliance with the Sustainable Banking Principles rising to 73 percent as of September 2025.

Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, disclosed this at the launch of the Ghana Sustainable Finance Roadmap in Accra, describing the progress as evidence of the banking industry's growing commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

According to him, all 23 chief executives of Ghana's commercial banks voluntarily endorsed the Sustainable Banking Principles, committing to incorporate sustainability considerations into their governance structures, risk management systems and overall business operations.

He said the collective pledge represented a major milestone for the financial sector, demonstrating that banks now view sustainability as a strategic business priority rather than merely a regulatory requirement.

"The unified commitment marked a turning point, signalling the readiness of Ghana's banking sector to embrace sustainability not as an obligation, but as a strategic imperative," Dr. Asiama stated.

The Governor explained that in 2021, the Bank of Ghana, with support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), developed a standardised framework to assess compliance with the Sustainable Banking Principles.

He noted that the framework has helped drive continuous improvements across the industry, with compliance steadily increasing to an average of 73 percent by September 2025.

Dr. Asiama also highlighted additional measures undertaken by the central bank to strengthen climate resilience within the financial sector.

He said the Bank of Ghana in 2024 launched a four-year Strategic Plan on Sustainability and Climate-Related Risks covering the period from 2024 to 2028 to consolidate and expand its sustainability agenda.

The central bank also issued the Climate-Related Financial Risk Directive, requiring regulated financial institutions to strengthen their capacity to identify, assess and manage climate-related financial risks.

According to Dr. Asiama, the directive also embeds climate-related considerations into the Bank of Ghana's supervisory and regulatory framework, helping ensure the financial system remains resilient while supporting sustainable economic growth.

He maintained that the progress made so far reflects the banking sector's readiness to play a leading role in financing Ghana's transition to a more sustainable and climate-resilient economy.