The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ShEquity Partners, Pauline Koelbl, has called on Ghanaian businesses to actively explore opportunities within the fast-growing global carbon market, stressing that many local enterprises are yet to take advantage of the country’s strong positioning in the sector.

Her remarks come as ShEquity convened 15 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Accra for a day's capacity-building workshop held on March 25, 2026.

The training aimed to equip climate-focused businesses with the technical knowledge and tools needed to participate in carbon trading and attract climate finance.

According to Ms Koelbl, Ghana has already established itself as a leader in carbon market development, yet awareness among SMEs remains low.

“Ghana is a global leader in setting up and operationalising carbon frameworks, yet many local SMEs remain disconnected from this opportunity. ShEquity’s Technical Assistance Facility is closing this gap by equipping SMEs with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate carbon market complexities and unlock additional revenue streams," Mrs Koelbl noted.

She emphasised that the global carbon market presents significant untapped potential for businesses willing to align their operations with sustainability standards and climate frameworks.

Ms Koelbl reiterated that, with the right awareness and support, Ghanaian businesses can move from the sidelines to the forefront of the global carbon economy.

She urged entrepreneurs to take deliberate steps to understand the carbon ecosystem and position themselves to benefit from it, noting that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents both environmental and commercial opportunities.

Beyond the training sessions, she explained that the initiative is designed to support high-potential SMEs through critical stages of carbon market readiness, including certification, project development and investor engagement.

The ShEquity TA Facility equips participating businesses with tools to collaborate with major certifiers such as Verra, Gold Standard and I-REC.

Participants were made aware of the leading certification bodies such as Verra, Gold Standard, and I-REC, enabling them to align with international frameworks such as Article 6 and Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The workshop forms part of the ShEquity Technical Assistance Facility, a pilot programme funded by the Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE) and GIZ, and implemented in partnership with GreenTec Capital Africa Foundation.

Under the broader initiative, 30 gender-smart green SMEs were selected, with 15 receiving Carbon Opportunity Maps to guide their market entry and 10 linked to investors and certifiers.

Two top-performing businesses will advance to develop carbon credit projects, each receiving $25,000 in support for certification and project documentation.

Ghana’s readiness for carbon trading is underpinned by its robust regulatory framework, including the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), and its leadership in implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The country has also established systems for authorising and transferring Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), further strengthening its position as a key player in Africa’s carbon market landscape.