Access Bank Ranks High In Board Diversity

Managing Director, Ms. Pearl Nkrumah

 

Access Bank (Ghana) PLC has been ranked among the top-performing companies in boardroom gender diversity, according to the newly released Ghana Board Diversity Index Report 2025.

The Bank emerged as the second most gender-diverse board in Ghana, with 44% of its board seats occupied by women, significantly higher than the national average of 25%.

The annual report, published by TheBoardroom Africa in partnership with the Ghana Stock Exchange, assesses female representation across the boards and senior leadership teams of all 36 listed companies in the country.

Access Bank’s performance places it firmly in the category of “Gender Champions”, a designation for companies with at least 30% women on their boards. Only 39% of Ghana’s listed firms meet this benchmark.

Beyond its 44% female board representation, the report also highlights that 50% of Access Bank’s Non-Executive Directors are women.

The Bank further distinguishes itself as one of the few listed companies with both a Woman Board Chair and a Woman Chief Operating Officer, underscoring its strong commitment to gender inclusion at both board and executive levels.

The Board Chair of Access Bank Ghana, Ms. Ama Sarpong Bawuah, noted, “Our diversity agenda is integral to our culture and our business. We believe organisations that reflect the diversity of their markets are better equipped for innovation, sustainability, and long-term value creation.”

Commenting on the recognition, the Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana, Ms. Pearl Nkrumah, described the achievement as a reflection of the Bank’s long-standing commitment to inclusive leadership.

“We are proud to be recognised as one of the top organisations driving gender balance in Ghana’s corporate space. Diversity is not just a metric for us; it is a strategic imperative. The presence of women at the highest levels of leadership has strengthened our governance, broadened our perspectives, and enhanced our decision-making as a bank,” she said.

Despite Ghana recording a modest 1% increase in women’s board representation since 2024, progress remains slow. Sixty-one percent of listed companies are still below the 30% board diversity benchmark, while 14% have no women on their boards at all.

According to the report, companies chaired by women are nearly twice as likely to achieve the 30% diversity threshold.

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