Advans Ghana Savings and Loans Limited has launched Mmaa Mpuntuo, a financing product for women entrepreneurs seeking business growth. The pilot has an initial GH¢20 million commitment from Development Bank Ghana.
The funding will support working capital and investment in premises, equipment and other productive assets. CapitalPlus Exchange, known as CapPlus, supported product design and is preparing selected branches for the pilot.
Advans Ghana Targets Women’s Financing Needs
The product forms part of Advans Her, the company’s gender programme. Research and direct engagement with women customers informed its financing and business support features, according to the Graphic report on the launch.
Advans Ghana representatives and partners at the Mmaa Mpuntuo launch.
Women account for 61 per cent of the company’s 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. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Valence said limited collateral should not prevent lending opportunities.
“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,” Valence said.
Women and Advans Ghana representatives gathered at an Advans Her event.
Loans Paired With Business Support
Advans Ghana says Mmaa Mpuntuo offers lower interest rates and processing fees than its standard loans. The company also lists flexible collateral requirements, faster processing, mentoring, and business and marketing support.
Borrowers receive automatic enrolment in EduSave, an account designed to help families plan for children’s education. The company says the savings and investment account offers higher interest for women.
The facility is available to women aged 18 and above, including existing and new customers. Applicants must operate or seek to expand a business and have a clear growth plan.
Development Bank Ghana provides wholesale funding that Advans Ghana can deploy through its retail lending network. The bank has disbursed GH¢1.4 billion to about 600 women-led businesses across all 16 regions during its first five years.
The GH¢20 million pilot commitment forms part of a women-focused fund of more than GH¢300 million launched in August. Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for Investment Michael Mensah-Baah said the bank would monitor jobs and incomes.
CapPlus will provide coaching and institutional-readiness support during the introduction at selected branches. Feedback from borrowers, client relationship officers and branches will help refine the product and determine its suitability for wider rollout.
“We are starting prudently in the form of a pilot,” Valence said. Success will include loan volumes and repayment, alongside how customers use financing.
The company will also assess larger contracts, savings and family investments. It is developing qualitative reporting to capture these outcomes alongside conventional lending indicators.
Michael Peres (Mikey Peres) is a software engineer, journalist, tech investor and founder of Her Forward News.
Peres has developed an interest in exploring the unique mindsets of life’s outliers: extraordinary people who have weaponized their perceived limitations and found a way to succeed. His passion is to share their stories, giving strength and inspiration to those who are trying to find their way in life.
