Fidelity Bank champions youth entrepreneurship and gender inclusion at Ghana-EU Business Forum

Mr. Kwabena Boateng is the Deputy Managing Director of Wholesale Banking at Fidelity Bank Ghana. He reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to youth-driven enterprise development. This statement was made during the 2025 Ghana-European Union Business Forum. The forum focused on collaboration between Ghanaian and European entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The theme was “Investing in Young Businesses in Ghana under the EU Global Gateway Strategy.” Mr. Boateng participated in a panel discussion about cooperation among financial institutions and support networks. He emphasized Fidelity Bank's dedication to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and young entrepreneurs.

He praised the European Union (EU) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) for their roles. "Fidelity Bank is truly committed to supporting SMEs and young entrepreneurs," he stated. He highlighted initiatives like the Orange Corners Innovation Fund, which offers up to €50,000 in grants and loans at a 5% interest rate.

This fund provides essential capital for promising ventures. Fidelity Bank manages these funds but relies on partners like Growth Africa for training and market access. Their support helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

Fidelity Bank also hosts initiatives such as the Orange Summit, which offers entrepreneurship training. The Fidelity Young Entrepreneurs Initiative provides funding, capacity building, and mentoring support. Another innovation is the Orange Market, where young entrepreneurs can showcase their products.

Beyond EU partnerships, Mr. Boateng noted collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation in agriculture. "We’ve rolled out approximately GHS 57 million in funding over 18 months," he revealed. This has created 12,000 new jobs while sustaining 11,300 existing ones.

The support has reached over 21,000 smallholder farmers across vital sectors. Addressing gender-lens investing challenges, Mr. Boateng discussed measures to support women-led enterprises intentionally. "Supporting women has to be intentional," he emphasized.

They target sectors with many women entrepreneurs through programs like Orange Corners with RVO. Their Bridge-in-Agriculture program focuses on women aged 18 to 35 years who employ youth and women too.

Mr. Boateng detailed steps taken to reduce barriers for women entrepreneurs: "Our partnerships offer rates as low as 5%." They have also reduced collateral requirements to as low as 20%. This ensures that women without traditional collateral can access needed capital.

Fidelity Bank's commitment extends internally with gender equality initiatives too. They partner with Accion and Coca-Cola Foundation for organizational culture reviews and Value for Women for gender action plans.

"We practice what we preach internally," Mr. Boateng asserted about their gender equality program aligned with sustainability principles from the Bank of Ghana.

Their signing onto the United Nations Global Compact shows their commitment to these values too. Fidelity Bank Ghana leads by example in fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem through strategic partnerships and inclusive financing solutions.