Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting investors as the country prepares to issue corporate green and sustainability bonds, a move aimed at directing private capital into the real sector of the economy.

Speaking to Joy Business on the sidelines of an Executive Capacity-Building Workshop in Accra, the SEC Director-General, Dr James Klutse, said the bonds are corporate instruments, not government securities, and stressed that investor safeguards will remain a priority.

He said, “We have taken it upon ourselves to provide training for the markets. What do you need to do? Which projects qualify? Which projects do not qualify? In order to prepare them to come to the market to issue the bond, the SEC is prepared to receive any application from the market, from any prospective issuer who wants to issue a green bond. We will follow up and ensure that they conform to the guidelines we issued in 2024, and once they qualify, we will give approval to the prospectors so they can go to the market and issue the bond, basically for the real sector, for corporate bodies, not the government. We can assure you that any corporate body that wants to issue the bond will have its interests protected, so that when the bond is issued, it will trade well on the Ghana Stock Exchange. Its value will grow, the price will increase, and in the future, if you want to dispose of that bond, you will make a capital gain. There is no reason to fear. That is why the SEC is there to protect the interests of investors. This is not a government-issued bond, but in the event that the government wants to issue one, we will still ensure that the right processes are followed and that investors’ interests are protected.”

The workshop brought together executives from banks and corporate entities to build capacity on green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked bonds. Sessions focused on issuer readiness, use-of-proceeds frameworks, reporting and disclosure requirements, and the role of intermediaries in maintaining market integrity.

The initiative also received international support. Nathalie Koussi Akon, Division Director for the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa, highlighted the potential economic benefits, including job creation and the engagement of a new generation of investors.

She said, “We must ensure that we support job creation in key sectors where we see opportunities, such as agriculture and tourism, working with our private sector clients. This also means that, given the status of our economy and the number of young people who need access to jobs each year, the public sector cannot do it alone. The private sector has a role to play across the countries where we operate. We are seeing the emergence of a new class of investors, but these investors need access to new products to participate fully in the economy. The opportunity of green bonds is to offer these investors not only attractive returns but also participation in impact. This high-level workshop is part of that effort.”

Led by the International Finance Corporation, the workshop drew on international best practices and market experience to ensure Ghana’s green and sustainability bonds are structured for both financial performance and measurable economic impact.

By strengthening corporate understanding of the bond framework and enforcing the 2024 guidelines, the SEC said investors can be confident that the bonds will perform well on the Ghana Stock Exchange, deliver returns, and contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s real economy.