Achieve, a mobile application offered by Ghanaian-owned Petra Securities Limited (licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission), is making an impact in the Ghanaian retail investment space. The fast-growing app, launched in August 2020, helped over 30,000 Ghanaians save over GH¢12 million in 2021 alone.
Achieve provides Ghanaians from all walks of life with a convenient means of saving money towards the things they care about. In addition, it makes available the services of SEC-licensed investment managers and financial experts who advise customers on how and where to invest the money they are saving.
From the comfort of their mobile phones, Achieve subscribers can make deposits and withdrawals from their investment accounts through their mobile money wallets and bank accounts, all while monitoring their investment transactions and performance in real-time.
DigiSave
The most popular product on the Achieve app is DigiSave, based off a mutual fund managed by Black Star Advisors. DigiSave offers customers the flexibility to save and invest towards their goals with a variety of features designed to make saving easy and effective.
“DigiSave top-ups are automatically invested in the Plus Income Fund – an SEC-licensed mutual fund managed by Black Star Advisors and held with Stanbic Bank for safekeeping,” Daniel Anaman, the product manager for Achieve, explains.
“Mutual funds offer one of the easiest ways for investors to reap the benefits of compound interest (earning interest on already earned interest). The more money a person invests and the longer the money stays invested, the more compound interest he/she will earn.”
Hustle-Free
“The Achieve app offers a hustle-free investing experience while protecting consumers from fraudulent financial schemes,” says Huzaifa Abdulai, Head of the Achieve Project.
“The app solves the inconvenience problem associated with the traditional savings approach. Anyone can sign up within 5 minutes, get started on their mobile phone, without having to travel or drive to an institution or fill out complicated paperwork. You also do not need a lump sum to start; with as little as GH¢5, you can begin the journey of saving and investing towards your financial goals.” Achieve is available for free on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and has no in-app usage costs.
This innovative app has a tailor-made feature that allows customers to save towards different goals in separate accounts, while also featuring an automated top-up feature that allows users to set their savings and investments on autopilot, solving issues of forgetfulness and inconsistency.
Satisfied customers
Today, over 40,000 subscribers use the Achieve app for their savings and investment needs, and the number is growing every day as more people discover its ease and convenience. The team has ambitious plans to grow the user base to one million by the end of 2022.
Reviews of Achieve, judging from social media comments, have been incredibly positive, with many customers expressing their satisfaction with the convenience the app provides.
“Going forward, we plan to form partnerships to allow people to access cheap short-term loans through Achieve,” says Abdulai. “There are also plans to collaborate with more SEC-licensed bodies to expand our investment offerings. These are exciting times, and we are pleased to be involved in helping millions of Ghanaians achieve their financial goals.”
Petra Securities is a Securities and Exchange Commission-licensed subsidiary of Petra that provides broker services. Petra Securities is committed to providing innovative and customised financial planning services to individuals and institutions in Ghana through the design and delivery of innovative financial solutions backed by exceptional customer service to ensure the overall financial well-being of Ghanaian workers and investors in Ghana’s capital markets.
