|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Development Bank Ghana (DBG) plans to invest approximately $600 million across Ghana’s agricultural value chain over the next five years as part of efforts to strengthen food security, boost exports, create jobs, and support economic transformation.
The announcement was made by DBG Chief Executive Officer, Professor Randolph Nsor-Ambala, in an interview with Citi Business News, where he outlined the bank’s strategic priorities for its next phase of operations.
The planned investment builds on DBG’s achievements over the past five years, during which the institution invested more than GH¢2.5 billion in businesses operating in sectors such as agriculture, agribusiness, manufacturing, information and communication technology (ICT), transportation, and education.
According to Professor Nsor-Ambala, the bank has gained valuable insights from its initial years of operation, enabling it to better identify investments that generate strong economic impact, remove barriers to growth, and create sustainable employment opportunities.
“The five years has offered us an opportunity to learn which investments create the greatest spillover effects, remove key constraints, and generate decent jobs for decent livelihoods. Going forward, our investments will be more targeted and informed by the knowledge and experience we have gained,” he said.
He explained that DBG’s future strategy will place greater emphasis on agribusiness and manufacturing, sectors the bank considers critical for job creation and long-term economic growth.
Professor Nsor-Ambala noted that the institution has earned the confidence of its development partners and intends to leverage that support to expand financing for businesses capable of driving Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
The CEO also revealed that DBG will increase support for women-owned and women-led enterprises, citing evidence that investments in female-led businesses often produce stronger social and economic benefits across communities and value chains.
Beyond financing, he stressed the importance of policy reforms aimed at improving the business environment and supporting private sector growth. He said DBG is collaborating with government and development partners to promote policy coherence and create conditions that enable businesses to thrive independently.
“The objective of development interventions should be to empower the private sector to continue growing even after government support ends. That is what builds resilience, sustainability, and long-term impact, and that is central to DBG’s mission,” he stated.
Professor Nsor-Ambala highlighted agriculture as one of the sectors most in need of targeted financing, noting that many agricultural businesses struggle to access credit because financial institutions often view the sector as high risk.
To address this challenge, DBG plans to continue supporting greenfield investments and enterprises across the agricultural ecosystem, with a focus on increasing productivity, promoting import substitution, enhancing food security, and expanding export opportunities.
He added that the bank’s interventions will cover the entire agricultural value chain, including production, processing, value addition, and export-oriented businesses capable of competing in international markets.
The planned $600 million investment is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Ghana’s agricultural sector while contributing to sustainable job creation and economic growth over the coming years.
Source: citinews
