Private capital must lead Ghana’s green industrial push – Finance leaders

Finance leaders and industry professionals gathered at the UN Global Compact Network Ghana summit in Accra to emphasize the necessity of private capital in Ghana's green industrial transition. They explained that the country's climate goals could not be financed solely by public budgets and donor funds, calling for increased private investment.

The stakeholders called for policy shifts, such as the Bank of Ghana's sustainable finance roadmap and the Ministry of Finance's green finance taxonomy, to create a common language for businesses, banks, and investors. They stressed that private capital was crucial to bankable green projects, and industrial competitiveness should be at the forefront of Ghana's sustainability conversation.

Mr Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries, emphasized that sustainability must translate into concrete business gains for manufacturers, and financiers must support industries in reducing waste, improving energy use, and building operational resilience. The UN Resident Coordinator for Ghana, Zia Choudhury, highlighted the need for more investment in Ghana's green transition, cautioning that the scale of investment required exceeded what public finance could provide.

Banks, he said, now have a central role in helping businesses transition toward sustainable goals, offering financing beyond environmental compliance to support productive sectors.