CIB Ghana, GhISP Train Banks On Inclusive SME Lending

Participants and officials at the workshop

The Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana), in partnership with the Ghana Investment Support Programme (GhISP), has held a two-day workshop for SME portfolio managers from banks across the country to strengthen inclusive lending to the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector.

The workshop brought together professionals from banks and selected finance houses to deepen their understanding of contemporary approaches to SME financing.

The programme focused on improving access to finance for SMEs, which remain a key driver of employment, innovation and economic growth in Ghana, but continue to face challenges including weak financial records, inadequate governance, poor cash-flow management and limited investment readiness.

According to the organisers, the workshop was designed to help financial institutions develop lending approaches that are both commercially sound and responsive to sustainability and inclusion considerations.

Participants were taken through practical areas including SME business models, inclusive product design, governance and risk assessment, climate risk and green SME financing, credit assessment, cash-flow-based lending, gender-smart finance and inclusive investment.

The sessions adopted an interactive approach, combining expert presentations, practical case studies, experience sharing and group discussions to enable participants to relate concepts to real lending and portfolio-management situations.

Reflecting on the programme, one participant said, “One of the challenges we face in financing SMEs is assessing businesses that may be viable but do not always have the financial records or structures we traditionally rely on for credit decisions. The workshop has given us practical approaches to look more closely at cash flows, the business model and other indicators of viability.”

The workshop forms part of a broader CIB Ghana-GhISP initiative aimed at improving the quality of SME lending, enhancing financial inclusion and encouraging financial institutions to integrate climate considerations into lending decisions.

At the close of the programme, participating institutions were encouraged to translate lessons learnt into practical actions in credit assessment, product development, portfolio management and engagement with SMEs.

Commenting on the expected impact, Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, Robert Dzato, said strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to adopt sound, inclusive and sustainable lending practices is critical to improving SMEs’ access to finance.

“Strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to adopt sound, inclusive and sustainable lending practices is essential to improving SMEs’ access to finance and supporting their long-term growth.

“CIB Ghana remains committed to equipping banking professionals with the knowledge and skills to make informed financing decisions that support SME development and Ghana’s economic growth,” he stated.

The Accra workshop is the first of two ecosystem workshops under the initiative, with the second scheduled for Kumasi in November 2026.

A Business Desk Report

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