Speaking at the 6th Africa Finance Festival under the theme “Future Forward: Building Resilient, Sustainable and Digital Finance Systems for Africa”,
Ampofo, whose institution was recognized at the awards for its outstanding performance in trade development and public sector finance, highlighted GEPA’s strategic role in strengthening Ghana’s export economy. “Our mandate is not merely transactional but transformational,” she said. GEPA has registered over 6,000 exporters serving more than 100 destination markets and facilitated over $5 billion in non-traditional exports in 2025.
She noted that building resilient finance systems in Africa must go beyond financial architecture to include robust trade strategies. By promoting diversified non-traditional exports in agribusiness, manufacturing, arts & crafts, and services, GEPA helps stabilize foreign exchange earnings, reduce vulnerability to commodity price shocks, and insulate economies from external disruptions.
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On trade finance, Ampofo revealed that GEPA actively tackles SME financing gaps through partnerships with commercial banks to structure pre- and post-shipment finance products. “These efforts are foundational to building resilient financial systems,” she stressed.
Regarding sustainability, the Finance Director pointed to GEPA’s focus on green exports and the successful Green to Compete Hub initiative, which trains SMEs in resource efficiency, circular economy principles, and sustainable financing. This aligns exporters with rising global demand for ethically produced goods.
Ampofo also underscored the digital pillar of the festival’s theme. GEPA is advancing digitization through the Ghana Trade Portal, digital exporter registration, online trade matching, and the development of a comprehensive exporter database. This data infrastructure, she explained, will enable alternative credit scoring, risk-based pricing of trade finance, and better visibility into supply chain needs.
While celebrating progress, Ampofo was candid about persistent challenges: lack of seamless cross-border mobile payment systems, high cost of capital for SMEs, currency volatility, regulatory fragmentation, and the digital divide.
She called for stronger Pan-African payment systems, harmonized trade documentation, regional credit guarantee schemes, and consistent sustainable finance frameworks under the AfCFTA. “We call on all stakeholders to leverage the growing fintech ecosystem to serve our SMEs,” Ampofo concluded.
