The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has stated that Ghana’s economic future depends largely on unlocking the full potential of women entrepreneurs and professionals across all sectors of the economy.
Delivering the keynote address at the Ghana Female CEOs Summit 2026 held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City on Thursday, May 7, the Minister described women as central to Ghana’s competitiveness and long-term economic resilience.
According to her, women have consistently demonstrated leadership and resilience in business despite facing structural barriers and unequal access to opportunities.
“I know what it costs. I know the discipline, the resilience, and the quiet determination it takes to lead while being watched differently, judged differently, and held to a different standard,” she said.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare praised female business leaders for building businesses, creating jobs, and navigating difficult economic conditions.
“You have built businesses, created employment, navigated economic headwinds, and refused to be the footnote in Ghana’s growth story,” she stated.
The Minister stressed that Ghana’s development agenda cannot succeed without the active inclusion of women in economic decision-making and enterprise development.
“Women constitute approximately 51 percent of Ghana’s population. We are the majority and an underutilised engine of national growth,” she noted.
She emphasised that empowering women should be treated as an economic necessity rather than a symbolic gesture, citing statistics showing that women own about 40 percent of businesses in Ghana and make up over 70 percent of workers within the country’s food system.
Despite these contributions, she said many women continue to face challenges in accessing financing and formal agribusiness assets.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare referenced estimates by the International Finance Corporation indicating that closing the gender financing gap for SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa could generate about 42 billion dollars annually in economic value.
She also cited projections by the McKinsey Global Institute suggesting that advancing women’s equality across Africa could add 316 billion dollars to the continent’s GDP.
“These are not soft statistics. They are economic imperatives,” she stressed.
The Minister highlighted several policy interventions introduced under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama to support women-led enterprises.
She revealed that the proposed Ghana Women’s Development Bank, backed by an allocation of GH¢401 million in the 2026 budget, would provide low-interest credit, flexible collateral arrangements, mentorship, and tailored business support services for women entrepreneurs.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare also pointed to opportunities under the newly passed 24-Hour Economy Authority Act 2026, noting that women in manufacturing, agro-processing, retail, and hospitality stand to benefit significantly.
According to her, businesses operating under the framework would enjoy tax incentives, reduced electricity costs, and financing support through EXIM Bank.
She further highlighted the implementation of the Affirmative Action Law 2024, which seeks to increase female representation in leadership and decision-making positions across public and private institutions.
The Minister added that the African Continental Free Trade Area presents significant export opportunities for women-led businesses in sectors such as cassava processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and palm oil production.
She disclosed that government aims to increase Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings from 3.5 billion dollars to at least 10 billion dollars by 2030.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between government, businesses, and development partners to support women entrepreneurs.
“We see you. We are building for you. And we expect you to grow beyond what any of us can currently imagine,” she said.
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