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THE Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Ghana, Julian Opuni, has underscored the need for stronger ecosystems to drive regional integration and trade competitiveness across the African continent.
He said a robust ecosystem anchored on sound policies, modern infrastructure, and sustainable practices were critical to unlocking the full potential of Africa’s economy and transforming its place in global value chains.
“Finance alone is not enough. We must build strong ecosystems. This means supporting policies that make cross-border trade more predictable, investing in cold chain infrastructure and logistics, and embracing sustainability as a real competitive advantage, not just a slogan,” he stated.
At the Ghana Horticultural Expo 2025 in Accra, Mr Opuni highlighted the critical role of the horticulture sector in driving inclusive growth, foreign exchange generation and national development.
He said it was not just about what the country extracted from the ground, but what was grown, processed and exported to the world.
The event on the theme: “Innovation, Sustainability and Digital Transformation for a Competitive Horticultural Sector”, was organised by the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
It brought together policymakers, development partners, agribusiness leaders, exporters and government agencies to strategise on boosting the country’s horticultural sector.
The expo featured B2B matchmaking with global buyers, high-level policy discussions, export training sessions, and a focus on women and youth-led agribusinesses as well as climate-smart technologies.
He stressed that horticulture remains one of Ghana’s strongest levers for inclusive growth, job creation for youth and women, food security, and sustainable foreign exchange generation.
Recognising that access to finance remains a key barrier for many players in the horticultural sector, he said the bank was taking deliberate steps to close that gap.
“That is precisely why we’re hosting targeted sessions throughout this expo to demystify our export finance offerings. Next month, in collaboration with FAGE, we will host a practical masterclass for exporters to walk them through our products, explain the requirements, and help businesses become truly investment-ready,” Mr Opuni disclosed.
These initiatives, he said, reflect Fidelity Bank’s broader strategy of building capacity across the export ecosystem, extending beyond conventional financing to include trade guarantees, risk-sharing schemes, and innovative digital platforms that simplify and accelerate access to capital.
He urged all stakeholders to adopt a long-term, collaborative approach that places innovation, sustainability and digitalisation at the centre of Ghana’s horticultural development agenda.
He reflected on the bank’s growing involvement in the sector, highlighting Fidelity Bank’s strategic partnership with the Federation of Associations of Ghana Exporters (FAGE), which has already yielded tangible results.
“Since the launch of our Export Club partnership with FAGE two years ago, we have disbursed over GH¢45 million through our ‘BRIDGE-in Agriculture’ programme with Mastercard and an additional GH¢100 million through various credit facilities.
This financial injection has directly strengthened foreign exchange inflows and contributed to Ghana’s broader economic stability,” he stated.
The Fidelity Bank MD described the 2025 Expo theme as “absolutely necessary” given today’s evolving global market dynamics, where traceability, compliance, climate change, and consumer transparency are no longer optional but essential for competitiveness.
“These might seem like challenges, but they're also tremendous opportunities for Ghana to truly redefine our place in global value chains,” he said.
Beyond its financing role, Mr Opuni reaffirmed Fidelity Bank’s commitment to serve as a true partner to the horticultural sector, saying: “we want to be more than just a financier; we want to be an enabler — actively partnering agribusinesses, exporters and institutions to unlock the immense potential of horticulture”.
