…GH¢20m DBG-backed pilot combines tailored financing with business advisory support
Advans Ghana Savings and Loans Limited (Advans Ghana) has launched Mmaa Mpuntuo, a dedicated financing solution designed to help women entrepreneurs access working capital and investment funding to expand their businesses.
The product is being piloted with an initial GH¢20 million commitment from Development Bank Ghana (DBG), alongside technical support from CapitalPlus Exchange (CapPlus), which supported the product design and is helping prepare selected Advans Ghana branches for the pilot.
Mmaa Mpuntuo forms part of Advans Ghana’s Advans Her gender programme and is aimed at addressing financing and business-support needs identified through research and direct engagement with women customers.
The initiative builds on Advans Ghana’s existing reach among women, who account for 61 percent of its client base but remain concentrated among its smallest borrowers.
In 2025, Advans Ghana disbursed more than GH¢900 million to over 15,000 clients. The company currently disburses close to GH¢100 million each month. “We are here to do business, you are here to do business, and we are here to do business together. Refusing a loan because of lesser collateral is not just a shame; it is a business mistake,” Guillaume Valence, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Advans Ghana, said.
Financing designed around women’s needs
Mmaa Mpuntuo was developed following research and customer engagement undertaken with CapPlus to better understand the barriers women entrepreneurs face when seeking finance and growing their businesses.
The product offers:
- lower interest rates and processing fees than Advans Ghana’s standard loans;
- more flexible collateral requirements;
- faster loan processing;
- mentoring and business and marketing support; and
- automatic enrolment in EduSave, a savings and investment account designed to help families plan for children’s education and offering higher interest for women.
The facility is available to women aged 18 and above, including both existing and new Advans Ghana customers, who operate or are seeking to expand a business and have a clear growth plan. Financing can be used for working capital as well as investments in business premises, equipment and other productive assets. “Women, we want to say this morning that we are here for you. We want to make sure you have access, and we want to make sure you have knowledge,” Barbara Odei, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer of Advans Ghana, explained.
DBG backing aims to deepen access to finance
DBG’s participation provides wholesale funding that Advans Ghana can deploy to women-led businesses through its retail lending network. The development finance institution has disbursed GH¢1.4 billion to about 600 women-led businesses across all 16 regions during its first five years of operation.
The GH¢20 million commitment to the Mmaa Mpuntuo pilot forms part of a women-focused fund of more than GH¢300 million launched by DBG in August. “When women businesses grow, economies grow,” Michael Mensah-Baah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, responsible for Investment at DBG.
He said DBG would monitor the performance and impact of the pilot, including its contribution to jobs and incomes, while indicating that additional funding could be made available as the programme demonstrates results.
Pilot to inform wider rollout
Advans Ghana is initially introducing Mmaa Mpuntuo through selected branches, with CapPlus providing coaching and institutional-readiness support. The company will gather feedback from borrowers, client relationship officers and branches during the pilot to refine the product and determine its suitability for a wider rollout. “We are starting prudently in the form of a pilot,” Mr. Valence said.
He said the success of the initiative would be assessed not only by loan volumes and repayment performance, but also by how customers deploy the financing, including their ability to secure larger contracts, build savings and make investments in their families.
Advans Ghana is therefore developing qualitative reporting mechanisms to complement conventional lending indicators and capture the broader outcomes of the pilot.
How to apply
Women entrepreneurs interested in Mmaa Mpuntuo can visit any of Advans Ghana’s 21 branches or call the company’s toll-free line on 0800-355-355.
About Advans Ghana
Advans Ghana Savings and Loans Limited is a financial institution focused on providing accessible and tailored financial solutions to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and individuals in Ghana. Incorporated in 2007 and commencing operations in 2008, the company is licensed by the Bank of Ghana and is a subsidiary of the Advans Group, headquartered in Europe.
Advans Ghana offers a range of financial services, including loans, savings and investment products, current accounts and digital banking solutions, designed to support business growth, financial inclusion and the evolving needs of its customers.
The company currently operates 21 branches across nine regions of Ghana and serves more than 157,000 clients. Advans Ghana is committed to responsible and client-focused financial services, with a particular focus on supporting the sustainable growth of MSMEs and expanding access to finance for underserved segments of the market.
