Let’s face it, Absa Bank has got it right. The bank’s business in Ghana is based on a very simple strategy that includes a strong focus on supporting the local SME sector. The bank is savvy enough to know that these local businesses underpin Ghana’s economic growth, so it has laid out a clear strategy to become the bank of choice for the sector.
The strategy is working well and has contributed to making Absa a consistently high-performing bank in Ghana. Last year, for example, the bank also became first in the history of Ghana’s banking sector to cross the GH¢1billion mark for profitability and revenues in the country.
Absa’s unique understanding of the SME market’s needs has led to several innovative products and solutions for this specific sector. One such innovation is the bank’s collateral-free loan that has flourished consistently for many years. Through a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Absa has increased the facility grant to GH¢1million for small businesses and startups in Ghana.
Absa also understands that to speedily drive large and positive change, it must strike strategic partnerships as it has done with the Mastercard Foundation and Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA. The bank is therefore currently a leading partner in the Ghana government’s new entrepreneurial initiative – the YouStart commercial programme – which is supported by the Ghana Association of Banks (GAB).
The YouStart programme will mobilise GH¢10billion to support young entrepreneurs, startups and local businesses in a sustainable way. These businesses can access standardised loans of between GH¢100,000 and GH¢500,000 from the participating financial institutions, including Absa Bank, at subsidised interest rates.
For Absa, this is the latest addition to its suite of products and services that support and empower the local business sector to grow sustainably.
Commenting after the YouStart signing ceremony at the Ministry of Finance, Managing Director of Absa Bank Abena Osei-Poku said: “The purpose of a bank like ours is to identify the real and present problems confronting our clients, customers and society, and to creatively devise plans to respond to these difficulties with the right products and services.
“That is the ultimate business of banks, and we will not renege on our mandate to ensure our clients and customers find us useful and responsive all the time. We are always excited about our role in empowering the local economy. We feel a great sense of accomplishment when we see how SMEs, startups and other local businesses are making an impact because of our support.”
Absa Bank is not about to rest on its laurels as it seeks to maintain its leadership in a sector that is central to moving the country into a higher middle-income level. Programmes like YouStart, the Mastercard foundation partnership and other related initiatives are reasons why the bank has struck a strong chord with its key stakeholders, clients and customers. It reflects the bank’s brand promise of bringing possibilities to life.
